Defection: Court okays Tambuwal’s constituents’ appeal application

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday granted the application of the people of Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto state, to appeal the court’s ruling that disallowed the constituents from being joined as defendants in the suit instituted by the embattled Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal.
After listening to counsel’s ‘no objection’ to the application for leave of court to appeal the ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed okayed the request.
“The applicants prayers seeking the leave of court to the earlier ruling on joinder is hereby granted as prayed,’ Justice Mohammed said.

It would be recalled that proceedings in the matter were stalled after the constituents through their lawyers, Mr. Israel Olorundare, and that of the Sokoto state legislators, Moyosore Onigbanjo, told the court that they had filed two separate applications for stay of proceedings in the suit.
Tambuwal, through his lawyer, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, had filed the suit before Justice Mohammed to stop the declaration of his seat vacant on the account of his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party which sponsored his election to the House.

Their applications for stay of proceedings were hinged on the grounds that they had filed notices of appeal against the ruling of the court which on Monday disallowed them to be joined as defendants in the suit.
The constituents are opposed to Tambuwal’s removal as Speaker and declaration of his seat vacant, arguing that removing him would deprive them of representation in the House of Representatives.
At yesterday’s sitting, counsel to the PDP, Mr. Yunus Usman, expressed concern over delay in hearing the substantive suit.
However, Justice Mohammed said they could only be adjourned for the hearing of the application for stay of proceedings since Tambuwal’s constituents had already asked the court for time to enable them reply to the counter affidavit filed against the pending application for stay of proceedings.
Consequently, he adjourned the case till December 16, for hearing of the application for stay of proceedings.