Sack senator representing A’Ibom South Senatorial District, PDP tells court

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to sack the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Chief Nelson Asuquo Effiong for defecting to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The party alongside 15 other chieftains of the party in the state, through their counsel, G.A Umoh had, in an Originating Summons marked FHC/ABJ/05/61/2017 asked the court to declare that Effiong has lost his membership with effect from January 19, 2017 pursuant to Section 68 (1) (g) of the constitution having now become a member of APC before the expiration of the period for which he was elected into the Senate on the platform of PDP.

In the suit, which has the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki as second defendant, the plaintiffs want the court to declare that the seat of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in the National Assembly is vacant pursuant to Section 68(1) (g) of the 1999 constitution, same having been vacated by the operation of law by the 1st defendant by reason of his becoming member of APC before the expiration of the period for which he was elected into the Senate on the platform of PDP.

The plaintiffs pray the court for an order directing the Senate President to declare the seat of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in the National Assembly vacant pursuant to Section 68(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution, same having been vacated by the operation of law by the 1st defendant by reason of his becoming member of APC before the expiration of the period for which he was elected into the Senate on the platform of PDP‎.

The plaintiffs also want the court to make an interlocutory injunction restraining the first defendant from parading himself as the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

In addition, they want the court to make an interlocutory injunction restraining the second defendant from further recognition of the first defendant as the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

Earlier, the plaintiffs have asked the court to determine whether the first defendant has not lost his membership with from January 19, 2017 as the Senator representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District in the National Assembly pursuant to Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution same having been vacated by the operation of law by the 1st defendant by reason of his becoming member of APC before the expiration of the period for which he was elected into the Senate on the platform of the PDP‎.

When the matter came up yesterday, the defendants were not in court and were not represented by counsel.

The trial judge, Justice John Tsoho the slated May 11, 2017 for hearing.