The recent ruling by a Federal High Court In Abuja, sacking governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state and his deputy, following a case of stolen mandate brought before it by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, is sending jitters down the spine of some governors who like Umahi defected to the All Progressive Congress, APC, with the votes of the PDP.
Emboldened by its victory at the court, the PDP has similarly filed a case against the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle before a Federal High Court, which has been fixed for hearing on April 7th 2022.
The PDP in the suit is seeking the removal of Matawalle from office after he jumped party with the votes polled from PDP.
This development is coming on the heels of the judgment by a Federal high court in Abuja in favour of the PDP, sacking the Governor of Ebonyi state, Dave Umahi and his Deputy, Kelechi Igwe for defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Presiding Judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, ruled that the total number of votes polled for Umahi rightfully belong to the PDP and not the APC.
However in the application filed against Matawalle, the PDP asked the court to declare the impeached Deputy Governor Mahdi Aliyu Gusau as the duly elected governor of Zamfara State.
The opposition party is also asking the court to sack about 37 members of the National Assembly and the State Assembly who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Inyang Ekwo on Thursday fixed the suit following an application for joinder and the submissions of lawyers in the matter.
PDP, in its originating summons, is seeking a declaration that sequel to the Supreme Court judgement of 2019 in APC and another Senator Kabiru Marafa and 179 others, only members of the PDP were entitled to hold the office of the governor and deputy governor or member of the Zamfara State House of Assembly.