By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Cross River State Government has filed an appeal against a Federal High Court judgement which sacked 20 lawmakers for defecting to the All Progressive Congress.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had instituted a suit against the lawmakers over their defection to the APC.
The judgment in the suit was delivered on Monday.
Justice Taiwo Taiwo, in his ruling, held that the lawmakers should vacate their seats, having abandoned the political party that sponsored them to power.
But a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade on Media and Publicity, Christian Ita, asked the affected lawmakers to go about their duties, adding that the judgement has been appealed and an application has been filed for stay of execution.
“This is to inform APC members of the National Assembly from Cross River State, members of the Cross River State House of Assembly and the general public that an appeal against the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has been filed at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
“Also, a motion for a stay of execution of the Federal High Court judgement has also been filed.
“Both processes were filed by renowned constitutional lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome.
“Following the filing of the two processes, automatically the orders of the lower court are stayed.
“Consequently, the APC members in both the National Assembly and the Cross River State House of Assembly should go about their duties freely,” the statement read.
On his application for stay of execution, Ozekhome stated that “the notice and grounds of appeal raise serious, arguable and recondite points of law before the appellate court with a great chance of success at the hearing of the appeal.”
