APC threatens to sue Cross River Assembly

By Kingston Obung Calabar

For declaring Hon Elocate Okura Ekom’s seat vacant, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River has threatened to drag the House of Assembly to court. Recall that the House had, last Friday, declared Ekom’s seat vacant for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on which platform he was elected, to the APC two week ago. Ekom, who represents Obubra II State Constituency in the House, had cited division in the PDP as reasons for defection. However, in an interview, the acting chairman of the APC, John Ochala, said “the party will leave no legal stone unturned to protect the rights and privileges of Hon Elocate Ekom,” and described the House’s action as “unacceptable, illegal and

completely unconstitutional.” He demanded that the House of Assembly rescind the decision and that Ekom be declared the minority leader since, according to the speaker, the member “is now the only one from another party other than the PDP,” adding “all necessary privileges concerning his offi ce must be extended to him accordingly.” Ochala accused the state government of masterminding the crisis and warned that the member should not be stopped from doing his legislative duties.

However, the House has maintained that it was acting in accordance with provision of the country’s constitution. Speaking, the Speaker, John Gaul Lebo, faulted Ekom’s reasons for defection, saying: “What the PDP had was a dispute over the chairmanship position of the party and the dispute was legal,” and therefore called on INEC to conduct a bye election within 180 days.” Continuing, he said: “Th e crisis contemplated under Section 109(g) that will ignite the defection of the member of the House of Assembly has not arisen; Hon Ekom’s ward, chapter, and state executives of the party are not involved in any dispute or division. In the eyes of the law, the PDP had a clear legal dispute over the chairmanship position of the party. “And at every point in time, the various courts determined the issues in favour of the party and not for a faction. Th e Supreme Court resolved the issues in the dispute and preserved the status quo ante bellum so as to avoid a division that will factionalise the party.”

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