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•Says lawmakers opposed to Akpabio’s election targeted
From Fred Itua and Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Barring any last-minute changes, five serving lawmakers who worked against the emergence of Godswill Akpabio as Senate President have been penciled down for removal.
Senator Ishaku Abbo, who was yesterday removed from the Senate by the Appeal Court, told newsmen in Abuja that former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu would be the next unless there were last-minutes interventions.
The Adamawa State senator, who expressed disappointment that the judiciary was being used by some people he referred to as “cabal members”, noted that democracy was being destroyed.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to note that the democracy he fought for during the military rule is not the one being practised at the moment.
Abbo, until his removal, represented the Adamawa North on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A three-member panel presided over by Justice C.E. Nwosu-Iheme, in a judgment, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Certificate of Return to Rev. Amos Yohanna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as validly elected lawmaker for the senatorial district.
INEC had, on February 25, declared Abbo as winner of the senatorial poll.
Dissatisfied with the declaration, Yohana and the PDP filed a petition before the National and State Houses of Assembly Election Tribunal sitting in Yola.
The tribunal, in its judgment, dismissed Yohanna’s petition for lacking in merit.
Further dissatisfied with the tribunal’s decision, the PDP’s candidate approached the Appeal Court via appeal number: CA/YL/EP/AD/SEN/06/2023 between Rev. Amos Kumai Yohanna and another Vs Ishaku Elisha Cliff and others.
The Court of Appeal, after hearing arguments from parties, agreed with Mr Usman that based on Section 137 of the Electoral Act, 2022, the results tendered clearly showed there was no compliance with the Electoral Act.
The court, thereafter, deducted the invalid votes from the parties and found that Yohanna and PDP won the election by majority of lawful votes.
The court set aside the Certificate of Return issued to Abbo and ordered INEC to issue same to Yohanna as the valid winner.
Other members of the panel include Justice M.I Sirajo and Justice O.A Adegbehinde.
Describing the ruling as strange, Abbo expressed shock that the court could grant a prayer not sought by lawyers of his opponent. “This is a coup. But I call on my supporters to remain calm.”
He said if his removal was meant as making him to conform, his political enemies have failed “because I am not a conformist.”
He also alleged that his stand against the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC was another issue that pitched him against some forces in the party.
On whether there was actually a plan to impeach Akpabio, Abbo said it was not true.
He disclosed that there were serious uproar over the lopsided manner committee chairmen were appointed without regards for those who supported and voted for the former Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Yari.
He, however, admitted that because of the uproar, all vice- chairmanship appointment has been dissolved to pave way for a reconstitution.
Meanwhile, the embattled lawmaker confirmed his sack from the legislative house in a post he published on his official Facebook page, even as he urged his supporters and constituents to remain calm.
Senator Abbo entered the news for the wrong reason in 2019, after he assaulted a lady, Ms. Osimibibra Warmate, in a sex toy shop in Abuja.
Following the incident, a High Court of Federal Capital Territory ordered the lawmaker to pay N50million damages to the lady, a decision that was subsequently affirmed by the a panel of the appellate court led by Justice Jamilu Tukur.
