The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the State House of Assembly, the Speaker, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun and others, claiming there is a conspiracy to remove him from office.
In the originating summons filed by his lawyer, Reuben Egwuaba, Ewhrudjakpo alleged that members of the state House of Assembly are being pressured to impeach him because he has refused to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)—the platform on which he and the governor were elected.
The governor, Douye Diri recently resigned his membership from the PDP.
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The deputy governor further alleged that some local government chairpersons, including Alice Tange of Sagbama Local Government Area, are also being threatened with removal for failing to leave the PDP along with the governor.
After hearing the ex parte motion presented by Ewhrudjakpo’s counsel, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered the defendants to appear before the court.
The defendants must “show cause” why the interim reliefs sought by the plaintiff against them should not be granted.
The defendants listed in the suit are: the state House of Assembly and its speaker, Egbetokun, the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), the Attorney General of the state, the state chief judge and the Clerk of the state assembly.
Justice Nwite ruled that issuing the order for all defendants to appear and provide justification was necessary in the interest of justice, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
The judge adjourned the matter to November 13 for the defendants to comply with the order.
In his motion on notice, he seeks several interim court orders, including: an order restraining the defendants from removing or impeaching him by disregarding the constitutional requirements stipulated in Section 188 (5), (6), (7)(a), (b), (8), (9), and (11) and Section 36(1) of the Constitution.
The basis of the impeachment, he argues, is solely his decision not to defect from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other registered party before his four-year term expires.
An order restraining the defendants from initiating or conducting any impeachment notice, proceedings, meetings, or sittings against him based on his refusal to decamp from the PDP to the APC.
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An order prohibiting the defendants from recognising or dealing with the appointment of any APC member as the state’s deputy governor.
An order restraining the IGP, the DG of the SSS, and the Bayelsa State Attorney General from withdrawing his official security protection as deputy governor.
