A federal high court in Abuja has sacked Albert Bassey as senator representing Akwa Ibom north east district over his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Bassey defected to the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in July 2022, where he secured the ticket for the 2023 governorship election.

Delivering judgement in the suit instituted by the PDP, Fadima Aminu, presiding judge, on January 20, held that the senator cannot continue to retain the senatorial seat after resigning from the party which sponsored his election in 2019.

The judge held that the defendant(Bassey) failed to prove that his defection from PDP was necessitated by serious rancour and steep differences in the ranks of the party.

“Therefore, this honourable court holds that the 1st defendant (Mr Akpan) who resigned from the plaintiff (PDP) but failed in his duty before this honourable court to prove the alleged serious rancour and steep differences in the ranks of the plaintiff (PDP) which made him to resign or defect to Young Progressives Party (YPP), the 1st defendant is in violation of section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution by refusing to vacate his seat as a senator in the senate won under the sponsorship of the plaintiff,” the judge said

The judge ordered Akpan to stop parading himself as a senator and ordered him to pay N5 million in costs to PDP.

The court declared his seat vacant and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a bye-election to fill it within 14 days, counting from January 20 when the judgement was delivered.

On December 1, a federal high court in Akwa Ibom had sentenced Albert to 42 years in prison for fraud.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the judgement of the Osun governorship election tribunal that sacked Ademola Adeleke as governor of the state.

Debo Ologunagba, PDP national publicity secretary, said the judgment is contrary to the will of the people “which was expressed by the overwhelming votes cast for our party and candidate at the election”.

“The July 16, 2022 Governorship election in Osun State was adjudged by Local and International Observers to be free, fair, transparent and clearly won by the PDP and our Candidate, Governor Ademola Adeleke in confirmation of the wishes and aspirations of the people,” the party said in a statement on Saturday.

“The will of the people of Osun State as expressed by electing Governor Adeleke must be respected. As a law-abiding Party, the PDP will explore all available legal means to restore the victory of our Party.

“The PDP charges the people of Osun State to be calm, remain at alert and continue to support Governor Adeleke as we restate our confidence in the institution of the judiciary to dispense justice in this matter at the Appellate Court.”

Gboyega Oyetola, the former governor of Osun state, says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the greatest beneficiary of the tribunal ruling which restored his mandate.

The tribunal on Friday sacked Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the governorship poll held on July 16, 2022.

In August 2022, Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress (APC) petitioned the tribunal to challenge the victory of Adeleke in the election.

Among several issues, Oyetola contended that there was overvoting in 749 polling units across 10 LGAs of the state.

Delivering judgment, two out of the three-member panel of the tribunal held that the petitioner was able to prove that there was indeed over-voting in some of the polling units.

Consequently, the majority judgment of the tribunal ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Adeleke and issue a fresh one to Oyetola as the duly elected governor of Osun.

Speaking with journalists in his country home in the Iragbiji area of Osun, Oyetola said there was no victor, no vanquished.

“There is no victor, no vanquished. It is a collective victory for our state and our nation’s democracy,” he said.

“I am happy that the judgment had resolved the controversy of July 16th 2022 governorship election.

“INEC is the greatest beneficiary of the judgment. It will afford them the opportunity to look at all the anomalies and make necessary adjustments to prevent such mistakes now that the general elections are coming.

“I thank the people of the state and supporters for standing by us, for their courage and loyalty. I want to assure them that we are ready to continue to serve them.”