Two federal lawmakers in the House of Representatives from Cross River State, Michael Etaba and Legor Idagbor were yesterday, ordered to vacate their seats by a High Court in Abuja for defecting to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
Following this development, anxiety has begun to build for Governor Ben Ayade and his Deputy, Prof. Ivara Esu.
Many are of the opinion that the Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade and his Deputy may suffer a similar fate come Friday, March 25, 2022.
Ayade’s defection on Thursday, 20th May 2021 earned him a suit which was filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) through its counsel Emmanuel Ukala, SAN. The filed suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 was brought before Justice Taiwo Taiwo, seeking an order to have the Governor and his Deputy sacked for defecting to the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The main opposition party is also seeking an order directing the first defendant (INEC) “to immediately receive from the plaintiff (PDP), the name of its candidates to replace the 3rd and 4th defendants (Ayade and Esu) for the purpose of utilising the lawful votes cast in favour of the plaintiff or in the alternative directing the 1st defendant to hold a gubernatorial election for Cross River State in accordance with Section 177 © of the Constitution (excluding the 3rd and 4th defendants who are disqualified from participating in the election by virtue of Section 192 (1) (b) of the Constitution) arising from abandonment of the majority lawful votes and the offices occasioned by the action of the 3rd and 4th defendants by reason of their becoming members of the 2nd defendant who did not win majority of the lawful votes cast at the election”.
Ayade will know his fate come Friday, March 25, 2022. However, many Nigerians fear that the news may not be pleasant for him and his deputy.