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Politics of Monday, 19 July 2021

Source: www.thisdaylive.com

Court restrains Zamfara Assembly from impeaching Deputy Governor

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Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Monday gave an order restraining the Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly and two others from taking any further step in their alleged plan to impeach the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Mahdi Gusau.

The restraining order was made while delivering ruling in an ex parte application brought against the defendants by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Ogwu Onoja, SAN, in arguing the motion claimed that the Zamfara lawmakers in connivance with some other persons were planning to impeach the deputy governor, over his alleged refusal to decamp to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Among other reliefs he requested from the court was an interim order
restraining the fifth to seventh defendants – the speaker, the state governor and chief judge of the state from going ahead with the planned impeachment of the Deputy Governor.

In a short ruling, the court while stating that the issue raised was of extreme urgency and also requires its intervention ordered parties to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the hearing of a motion filed by the plaintiff.

PDP in the main suit is asking the court to sack Bello Matawalle, Zamfara governor, over his defection to the ruling APC.

According to them, Matawalle, having left the platform of the PDP through which he became governor has lost his ticket to remain in office.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/489/2021, the plaintiffs contended that in view of an earlier judgment of the Supreme Court, to the effect that the APC had no candidates in the 2019 governorship election in Zamfara state having not conducted valid primaries, it would be unlawful for Matawalle to retain his office as it amounts to transferring PDP’s victory to the APC.