Court sacks Dogara from House

Hon. Yakubu Dogara has been ordered by a Federal High Court, to vacate his seat as member representing Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State.

Justice Donatus Okorowo declared that having defected from PDP to  the APC, Dogara was no longer qualified to occupy the seat by virtue of Section 68(1)(g) of the constitution.

The justice held that the action of the lawmaker is prohibited by law, adding that the aim of Section 68(1)(g) was to check political prostitution among the legislators.

“The judgment is, therefore, given in favour of the plaintiffs. I hereby granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs,” he declared.

Dogara on July 24, 2020, defected when he submitted a resignation letter to the chairman of the Bogoro ‘C’ Ward in the state.

PDP and one of its members in Bauchi State had, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1060/20, sued Dogara, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the APC as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.

The PDP asked the court to remove the former speaker of the lower House over his defection to APC.

The plaintiff, through their counsel, Jubrin Jubrin, said by virtue of section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution, Dogara by defecting from the party that sponsored him to the ninth National Assembly before the expiration of his tenure, ought to vacate the seat as he was no longer qualified to partake in the activities of the lower house.