The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, sacked 20 members of the Cross River State House of Assembly that defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.  

The court, in a judgement delivered by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, held that the lawmakers, having abandoned the political party that sponsored them to power, ought to vacate their seats.

The judgement followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021, which was filed by the PDP.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in the judgment, dismissed the defence argument that the PDP (plaintiff) had no locus standi (legal rights) to institute the case.

Justice Taiwo ruled that the argument of the lawmakers that there was rancour in the PDP which necessitated their defection to APC was a ploy to mislead the court.

The judge, who granted all the reliefs sought by the PDP, held that it was disheartening that politicians in the country treat citizens as if they do not matter once they get into office.

According to him, we cannot continue in sin and expect grace to abound.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two House of, Representatives members and 18 Cross River House of Assembly were affected by the judgement.