Breaking: Anxiety as Armed Security Operatives Take Over Cross River Assembly

Breaking: Anxiety as Armed Security Operatives Take Over Cross River Assembly

  • Police have taken control of the Cross River Assembly following the dismissal of twenty lawmakers in the state
  • The policemen drawn from the anti-kidnapping squad and regular policemen were spotted around Assembly on Tuesday, March 22
  • This is following the court ruling that sacked 20 lawmakers for defecting from the opposition PDP to the All Progressives Congress

Cross River - A report by Daily Trust indicates that the Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday, March 22, took over all routes leading to the premises of Cross River state House of Assembly.

Different units of the police including the anti-kidnapping, cultism squad and regular policemen all armed took positions as early as 6am, The Punch added.

Cross River State House of Assembly
Armed policemen have taken over the Cross River State House of Assembly. Photo credit: Cross River State House of Assembly - Information Department
Source: Twitter

According to eyewitnesses, the presence of armed securty operatives was seen inside the premises of the Assembly.

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Defection: Federal High Court refuses to sack Ben Ayade, deputy

It was gathered that some of the policemen were also spotted standing close to Governor Ben Ayade’s office.

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Their presence followed the Federal High Court ruling on Monday, March 21, sacking 20 lawmakers in the state for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Taiwo Taiwo sacked 18 lawmakers from the state and two in the House of Representatives.

Cross River govt goes on appeal over lawmakers’ sack, makes huge demand

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Cross River state government has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja seeking a stay of execution against the judgement of a Federal High Court which sacked the speaker of the Cross River state House of Assembly, Eteng Williams, and 17 of his colleagues over their defection from PDP to APC.

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The special adviser on media and publicity to the state governor, Christian Ita, in a statement, noted that a motion on stay of execution has also been filed at the Federal High Court.

He urged the lawmakers at the State House of Assembly and those at the National Assembly to go about their duties freely.

Court sacks Ebonyi governor, deputy over defection from PDP to APC

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja sacked Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state and his deputy, Eric Igwe, over defection to the All Progressives Congress..

Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment on Tuesday, March 8, held that their defection was unconstitutional because the Peoples Democratic Party won the election in March 2019 and not its candidate.

Having defected to the APC, Governor Umahi and his deputy cannot transfer the mandate of the PDP to the APC, the court held.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Oluwatobi Bolashodun avatar

Oluwatobi Bolashodun Oluwatobi Bolashodun is a journalist with six years of working experience in the media industry. She graduated from Babcock University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication. Oluwatobi is a former Legit.ng Current Affairs Editor, mostly writing on political, educational, and business topics.