PDP challenge Dogara in court, asked to declare his seat vacant after crossing to APC 

One of PDP strong member who decamped from APC to PDP shortly after 2015 election breaking APC stronghold in the house of Representative during the 8th Assembly as been dragged to court by his former alliance. THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to sack the former House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara for defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Dogara, representing Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, defected from the APC to the PDP before the last general election and won re-election to the House on the platform of the PDP.

According to court documents, Dogara, on July 24, 2020, abandoned the PDP for the APC when he submitted his resignation letter to PDP Chairman in Bogoro ‘C’ Ward in Bauchi State.

The PDP and its Bauchi State Chairman Hamza Koshe Akuyam, listed as plaintiffs in the suit, are contending, among others, that by virtue of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution, Dogara ought to vacate the seat for defecting from the party that sponsored him to the Ninth National Assembly before the expiration of his tenure.

They said the former Speaker was no longer qualified to partake in the activities of the House of Representatives while still using his former party’s ticket.

He added that given the facts and circumstances of the case, the Speaker of the House of Representatives “is under legal obligation” to declare Dogara’s seat vacant and allow INEC to conduct an election for his replacement.

The plaintiffs are praying the court to, among others, declare that Dogara has ceased to be a member of the National Assembly from the date he defected to the APC.

They prayed the court to direct Dogara to vacate his seat in the National Assembly and to refund all the salaries, allowances and emoluments he collected from the date of his defection from the PDP.

They also prayed the court to direct the House of Representatives Speaker to give effect to Section 68(1) of the Constitution to forthwith declare Dogara’s seat vacant and for INEC to conduct a by-election for his replacement.

The suit, now before Justice Okon Abang, was not heard on December 7 when it was listed for hearing.

The court has rescheduled its hearing for March 5, 2021.