Court sacks Akwa Ibom lawmaker for defecting to APC

A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo has affirmed the sack of Mr. Gabriel Toby, representing Etim Ekpo/Ika Constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

Justice Fatun Riman ruled that the lawmaker lost his seat, having defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which sponsored him to office, to the All Progressives Congress (APC) last year.

The court granted all the prayers sought by the respondents, the assembly speaker, Mr. Onofiok Luke, who was represented by Messers Ekemini Udim and Ini Ememobong, and the PDP was represented by Godswill Umoh.

Speaking shortly after the ruling, counsel to the PDP, Umoh, said the court relied on Section 109 of the constitution, which gives two grounds for defection by a lawmaker to include “division in a party and where a merger is reached”.