A High Court in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday validated the suspension of 10 former members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly who were suspended by the State Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2018.
Subsequently, the court dismissed the suit filed by the former state lawmakers challenging their suspension from the PDP, thereby validating the suspension.
In his ruling Tuesday, Justice John Adeyeye dismissed the suit for lack of diligent prosecution, as counsel to the former lawmakers, Chief Bunmi Olugbade, did not show up in court.
The suit, HAD/4/2019, suffered the same faith before now when it was struck out in June 2019 but relisted after a fierce legal battle.
Last year, the Ekiti State PDP Working Committee had suspended 10 of the then 23 members of the House of Assembly over allegations of anti-party activities and gross misconduct.
The State Working Committee had acted on the report of its Disciplinary Committee in suspending Segun Adewumi, Posi Omodara, Anifowose Badejo, Fajana Ojo-Ade, Musa Arogundade, Wale Ayeni, Tope Fasanmi, Omotosho Olayode, Afolabi Akanni and Titilayo Owolabi.
Not satisfied with the action of the State Working Committee in suspending them, the 10 former House of Assembly members had approached the court through their counsel, Olugbade, seeking nullification of the suspension.
Some of the affected lawmakers were also said to have disowned the suit, claiming that it was filed without their consent.
