The Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Akwa Ibom state has described as shameful and dishonorable Senator Godswill Akpabio’s claim that he never defected but moved to the All Progressives Congress as a result of him being expelled from PDP at the ward level.
Senator Godswill Akpabio had told with evidence the Federal High Court in Abuja that his expulsion from PDP was what compelled him to move to the APC in August 2018.
In his ruling, the trial Judge, Justice Okon Abang on Friday said that the senator only “moved to join APC out of frustration of being expelled by the PDP through a letter dated August 2, 2018”.
The judge held that having been expelled from PDP,
Akpabio was at liberty to join another political party of his choice and any attempt to declare his seat vacant as requested by the plaintiff, Legal Defence and Assistance Project would be to punish him for exercising his right to freedom of association under section 40 of the Constitution.
The plaintiff had anchored its suit on section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution which
provides that the seat of a legislator who defects from his or her party without any division in the party before the end of the tenure for which the party sponsors the lawmaker’s election shall be declared vacant.
Justice Abang held that the provision of section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution was not applicable to Akpabio, who “neither defected nor decamped” but only moved from the PDP following his expulsion.
Irked by Senator Akpabio’s submission, the PDP in the state said such claim was totally false and shameful.
In a statement signed by the publicity secretary, Ini Emembong and sent to journalists in Uyo, the PDP argued that it was impossible for Senator Akpabio to have been expelled by the party, without the approval of the State Executive Committee of the party.
Ememobong maintained that there was no record showing the existence of such a punitive move undertaken against the senator by his ward or chapter executive.
He also alledged that Senator Akpabio conspired with Ntiedo Usoro, the then Chapter Chairman of Essien Udim to illegally write a letter of expulsion to him and back date same ,adding that Ntiedo having completed his assignment, later defected and joined Chief Akpabio in the APC.
The statement read in part, “The Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has read a news item flowing from the judgement of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, presided over by Justice Abang wherein the trial judge held that Senator Akpabio led evidence to show that he was expelled from the People’s Democratic Party and therefore was justified in law in ‘moving’ to the APC.
“We state that nothing can be farther from the truth than the transparent lie of expulsion shamelessly spewed by Chief Akpabio. We make bold to state that at no time was Chief Akpabio suspended or expelled from the party. Chief Akpabio had announced to the world on August 8,2018 that he was defecting from the PDP to the APC in pursuit of National interest and to stem the tide of defections at the National Assembly. In fact, at different campaigns, he mocked the PDP as being empty since his uncommon defection . At no time did he mention the issue of expulsion, which has now become his creation as a lame defence to keep his seat. He conspired with Ntiedo Usoro, the then Chapter Chairman of Essien Udim to illegally write a letter of expulsion to him and back date same. The said Ntiedo having completed his assignment, later defected and joined Chief Akpabio in the APC.
“There is no way that Senator Akpabio could have been expelled by the party, without the concurrence of the State Executive Committee of the party. There is no record showing the existence of such a punitive move undertaken against the senator by his ward or chapter executive council.
