Court stops Saraki from declaring Akpabio's seat vacant

akpabio and Saraki

An FCT High Court in Bwari, on Thursday stopped the Senate President, Bukola Saraki from declaring the seat of former Minority Leader of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio vacant.

Justice Othman Musa on Wednesday also ordered Saraki not to impede Senator Akpabio’s access to the Senate building or take any action aimed at “overreaching his privileges and rights as a Senator pending the determination of the originating Summons of the applicant.”

Justice Musa ordered service of the originating Summons and other processes on Saraki through either the Clerk of the National Assembly, Clerk of the Senate or any other Clerk or reasonable staff of the National Assembly at the assembly complex.

The orders were made after an ex parte application by Akpabio’s lawyers, Chikaosolu Ojukwu and Ebere Ahanonu seeking to stop moves to declare his seat vacant following his defection from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The suit has been adjourned to August 29 for further hearing, Punch reports.

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10 Comments

Marcus Ijele says:

August 17, 2018 at 2:38 pm

That is very good. It means no other seat would be declared vacant.

coslads says:

August 17, 2018 at 12:44 pm

Buhari will fully restore Nigeria to normalcy if all hands are on deck to support him and if PDP, Saraki and his cohorts stop negative politicking in the name of opposition.
Opposition does not mean antagonising and creating unnecessary tension in the land just to discredit the ruling Mr Buhari and his party. The opposition PDP is currently practising to grab power at all cost. They have the power for 16 years, what do they do with it? They are all busy looting the country, sharing the nation’s cash and properties within themselves. PDP cannot be trusted with Nigeria any more. This is the most reason every citizen must register to vote by getting their PVC to say NO to PDP at all levels of governance..

@amaliyu63 says:

August 17, 2018 at 10:32 am

Saraki Mr Distinguish Senate President distinguish yourself by declaring your seat and 15 accomplished group members vacant before coming to Akpabio. You should come to equity with clean hands and mind.

Dr Pat Kolawole Awosan says:

August 17, 2018 at 4:06 am

Dr.Bukola Saraki, a defector, from PDP in 2014 to APC who again defects from APC to PDP whose senate-position seat is not certain or guarantee and could be impeached anytime if, he refuses to to be rational and voluntarily resign from the senate-president position, has the audacity to be threatening to declare Godswill Akpabio’s seat in the senate, vacant? Senate president seat belongs to any senator, choosing by the majority party,APC not a minority party’s senator.

Bashiru A Ayobiojo says:

August 17, 2018 at 4:00 am

Oh, how I wish the court would order all defectors seats vacant. That will bring some momentous buoyancy into Nigeria’s polity. Won’t it?

The man is insane with jealousy, has no shame, he is wicked as black pot and unable to recognise boundaries.

A medical doctor who has no notion of unintended consequences. He is so overwhelmed by fury and greed that he fails to see that the more he attacks the noble philanthropist, the greater the love of Nigeria for their God-sent Messiah. So much that it is now save to expect a landslide never before witnessed across the globe.

I wonder if I’m alone in thinking that the conspiracy of Saraki (and others) in the blockade of his house an later that of the senate was calculated to invoke impeachment. Given the failure of their cries that Buhari should give up his second term ambition. That is because, like most Nigerians, they knew that the only way PDP could regain power is if Buhari does not contest.

What a bunch wicked and incorrigible thieves. The only entity they hate more than Buhari is the nation called Nigeria.

Keep it up doctor do little and gang. We are.