The 37 members of the Federal House of Representatives who defected from All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not vacate their seats, the opposition party has declared.
The stand was made known to the public on Tuesday in a statement signed by APC’s interim national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
In the statement, Mohammed said Justice Adeniyi Ademola should not have issued the order because he is incompetent enough to give such. He said Ademola’s remarks should be disregarded because it is gregarious, unnecessary and superfluous without any foundation in law or fact.
APC further urged Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Aloma Mariam Mukhtar to sanction Ademola for breeding mischief that could smear the reputation of the reputation of the judiciary.
“We recognise the efforts of the present CJN in sanitising the Judiciary since she assumed the mantle of leadership but she should not allow any black leg to reverse the gains that have been recorded on the altar of unmitigated avarice”, the statement read.
“This is because if that happens, Nigerians will hold the judiciary vicariously liable for the catastrophic consequences that may follow.”
He berated the order issued to the 37 reps who decamped, describing it as a big joke.
“If this case had been issued a day later than Monday, we would have said the judge was caught in the web of April fool, alas, he indeed made the ruling on Monday, hence the need for us to take it very seriously for several reasons”, the statement continued.
“The question of whether the House of Representatives members should vacate their seats was not a question before Justice Ademola for determination.
“The only question for him to determine was whether the APC members, with their numerical strength at that time, had the right to change the house leadership such as the majority leader, chief whip and their deputies”.
Hence APC concluded that Ademola had no business commenting on seats being vacated, saying the justice’s action was unprofessional.
“It is highly unprofessional and unethical for one judge to delve into a matter that is sub judice in another court.
“A judge should not make comments on matters being litigated in another court. The question of seats being vacated or otherwise is being heard by Justice Ahmed Mohammed in the Federal High Court in Abuja who, on 29th March 2014 said the issue was still live before him and is not ripe for judgment”.
The statement referenced the fear APC raised in a statement it issued on 14th December 2013 that the “PDP is shopping for a pliant judge” who could be induced to tilt to its side.
APC had warned the CJN of some bad eggs in the statement.
“We recognize the efforts of the present CJN to sanitise the judiciary since she assumed the mantle of leadership but she should not allow any black leg to reverse the gains that have been recorded on the altar of unmitigated avarice”, the statement had said.
“This is because if that happens, Nigerians will hold the judiciary vicariously liable for the catastrophic consequences that may follow”.
Mohammed added that the issues warned against in the statement has started happening. He then urged APC supporters to dismiss the judgment because it was planned to foster trouble. He also assured them that PDP and the Presidency have fallen.
