Taraba legislator tossed for switching to APC

Senator Emmanuel Bwacha of Taraba South was fired by Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court in Jalingo, Taraba State, for switching sides with the All Progressives Congress.

Distributing judgment on the matter in a court brought to the court by the Peoples Democratic Party, Justice Amobeda stated that Senator Bwacha lost his position in the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by switching sides from the claimant (PDP) to the second respondent (APC) although during the existence of the senate to in which he was voted into office in the general election in 2019.

The court ruled that the PDP had effectively proven his claim and therefore was competent to the exemptions claimed under section 68(1) (g) of the federal republic of Nigeria’s constitution. The court, therefore, asked the Senator to abandon his place in the chambers instantly.

 Some part of the judgment reads

“The 4th defendant (The Senate President) shall immediately declare as vacant the seat of the 1st defendant in the Senate of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The 3rd Defendant (Independent National Electoral Commission) shall immediately conduct a bye-election among the candidates that contested the 2019 general elections for Taraba South Senatorial District of Taraba State.

Leave is hereby given to the plaintiff to present another candidate to fill the vacancy created by the 1st defendant’s defection to the 2nd defendant not later than 90 days from the date of this judgement”

The court, therefore, barred the Senator, his employees, or privies from receiving payments owed to the holder of the office until the leadership contest was completed.