Court Does Not Decide How NASS Determines Its Leadership – APC
By Olorunfemi Ojo
All Progressives Congress, (APC),Interim National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday said it is not within the Court’s jurisdiction to decide how the National Assembly determines its leadership, insisting that such a decision is only determined by
the constitution.
Lai who said this in reaction to the ruling of Justice Adeniyi Ademola
on the 37 defected legislators while on Channels TV programme, “Sunrise Daily”, further stated that Justice Ademola did not give any order mandating the defecting legislators to vacate their seats, but instead gave three orders, ( i) there should be no leadership change, (ii)
the 37 defecting legislators cannot participate in any debate in the
House (iii) perpetual injunction restraining them from giving anymotion or debate in the House that will lead to leadership change.
The APC spokesman insisted that “Justice Ademola never gave an order stating that the 37 legislators should vacate their seats” and criticised the media for over publicising the issue.
“the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) went to seek certain relief that the leadership in the House should not be changed and the 37 defecting
legislators should not be allowed to participate in any motion or debate leading to the leadership change inbthe House. He stated that the judge had no business in advising the party and referred to it as “unethical and unprofessional”.
He noted that what the APC appealed against was the perpetual injunction restraining those legislators from participating in motions and debate leading to leadership change, adding that those legislators have been elected by their various constituencies to participate in the motions in the House,”whether APC has a majority or not the House should be left alone to decide its leadership.”
He also maintained that “the PDP cannot change the leadership of the House”.
Mr Mohammed reiterated that “it’s not for the court to decide how the
National Assembly will determine its leadership but it is a constitutional issue and the House has a right to, at anytime, reshuffle its leadership as it so wishes”.
He faulted the implication of thenjudge’s ruling, adding that it
restrains the House of Representatives and does not allow the House to choose its leader, “If PDP has issues with its speaker or Chief Whip with this ruling it cannot change him,” he noted.