A Federal High Court in Abuja has shifted the judgment on the defection suit against Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State till April 7 following his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).
The judgement was suspended by Justice Taiwo Oladipupo Taiwo following a letter by the counsel to the governor, Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN, who drew the attention of the court to a judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered in Enugu.
Justice Taiwo had ordered the counsel in the suit to address him on the implications of the appellate court’s judgment on the present case.
The Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, had some days ago held that Ayade’s defection did not constitute any known offence.
The Appeal Court further held that Ayade’s action stood on the constitutional rights of freedom of association as enshrined under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution.
Recall that the PDP asked the court to sack Ayade and his deputy over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
