A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, fixed Jan. 18, 2022, to hear suit, seeking the removal of Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara and other lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to all Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the parties had joined issues in the suit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PDP had, on Oct. 15, filed a motion, joining the three Zamfara senators and 27 other lawmakers who defected from the the party to APC in a suit against Gov. Matawalle.
The party, through its counsel, James Onoja, SAN, filed the motion for joiner marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/650/2021 dated and filed Sept. 30.
The PDP specifically is asking the court to sack Matawalle, the three senators, six House of Representatives members and all the lawmakers in the state’s house of assembly that dumped the party for APC.
The PDP had earlier sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), APC, the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Governor of Zamfara and Chief Judge of Zamfara as 1st to 7th defendants respectively.
When the matter was called, Onoja informed that the matter was adjourned for his motion for joiner to be heard. He said all the parties had been served.
However, counsel to the 5th, 6th and 7th defendants (Speaker of House of Reps., the governor and chief judge of Zamfara), Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, though acknowledged that he was served by the plaintiff, he hinted that he had filed a preliminary objection, challenging the motion for joiner.
The judge, then, adjourned the matter until Jan. 18 for the motions to be heard.
NAN reports that Matawalle, alongside the three senators, six House of Representatives members and all the 24 members of the Zamfara House of Assembly had, on June 29, defected to the ruling party.
While the governor defected to APC, the Deputy Governor, Mahdi Gusau, remained with the PDP
It would be recalled that Matawalle emerged as the governor of the state, following a Supreme Court ruling on March 24, 2019, which nullified the APC primaries in the state.
