Gummi
By Amah
Kindly share:
Abubakar Gummi, a member of the House of Representatives, has lost his seat over defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu sacked Gummi, who represents Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State in the Green Chamber and ordered a fresh election within 30 days.
Additionally, Justice Egwuatu restrained Speaker Tajudeen Abbas from further recognising Gummi as a member of the House and also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a fresh election within 30 days to fill the vacant seat.
The ruling was delivered on Thursday but the certified true copy was obtained on Friday.
The PDP in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2024, contended that Gummi’s defection contravened Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, which bars lawmakers from switching parties without valid reasons.
The suit was filed by the PDP and Jamilu Jibomagayaki, the Zamfara State Chairman, and was represented by Ibrahim Bawa, SAN.
The plaintiffs insisted that there was no division in the PDP to justify Gummi’s move to the APC and sought a declaration that his seat be declared vacant.
Gummi, who cited internal crisis within the PDP as reason for his defection failed to convince Justice Egwuatu, who dismissed his argument and granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.
The judge took exception to the attitude of politicians who have normalised defection.
“Before I take my fingers off the keyboard,” Justice Egwuatu said said: “let me just add, that politicians should respect the wishes of the electorates that elected them into office.”
According to him, it is “legally and morally wrong” for politicians to dump the on whose platform hey rode to power and “transfer votes” to another political party, describing it as “political prostitution” that must not be rewarded.
He insisted that such moves are punishable under Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.
To worsen Gummi’s plight, the judge also
ordered him to refund all salaries and allowances he received from 30 October 2024 until the date of judgment to file evidence of the refund in the court registry within 30 days, and to pay
N500,000 fine in favour of the plaintiffs.
