Ayade panics, battles to escape sack by court over defection

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State may have come under panic and is battling to avoid being sacked by the court for his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the PDP mandate. Ayade may have reason to panic as there exists a pending court order sacking Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State on the same case.

The Federal High Court presided by Justice Taiwo Taiwo has fixed April 6, 2022, for judgement on the suit filed by the PDP to reclaim the party’s mandate from the defected governor.

Counsels to Governor Ayade, however, at the court session on Wednesday, filed a fresh motion, citing the judgement of a Court of Appeal in Enugu in the suit involving Governor Umahi, which they said last week held that “constitutionally, there are no consequences for state executives who defect from the political party on whose platform they were elected into office.”

Governor Ayade requested Justice Taiwo to reopen the case on the day fixed for judgment.

The court, thereafter, adjourned to April 7.