The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday dismissed a suit seeking to declare vacant the seat of Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade.
According to Channels Tv, Justice Taiwo Taiwo cited the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Enugu that defection is not a ground for removal from office.
The Justice noted that the removal of a sitting governor and his deputy can only be done in line with constitutional provisions.
He added that under such provisions, the judiciary lacks the power to remove an elected officer.
Ayade had in May 2021, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The ruling of the court comes days after an Appeal Court sitting in Enugu affirmed the ruling of the Ebonyi State High Court, which declared that Governor David Nweze Umahi and his Deputy, Dr Kelechi Igwe, did not offend any provision of the constitution or the Electoral Act by defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the State.
