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Ayade Reacts As Court Set To Deliver Judgment In Defection Suit

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I Should Be Commended For Payment Of Salaries, Pensions - Ayade

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has expressed his belief in the judiciary ahead of today’s judgement by a Federal High Court in Abuja over the defection suit.

Naija News reports that Ayade made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday by his spokesman, Christian Ita, in Calabar, the state capital.

The governor expressed optimism that the court judgement will be fair, adding that justice will be done by the court.

Ayade, however, promised to accept the outcome of the judgement without prejudicing his right of appeal should it become imperative.

I believe in the judiciary, I believe today’s judgement will be fair, I believe that justice will not only be done but will be seen to have been done. Whatever the outcome I will accept but without prejudicing my right of appeal should it become imperative,” Ayade is quoted in the statement.

Recall that Justice Taiwo Oladipupo Taiwo had shifted the judgement delivery to enable him to consider the implications of a Court of Appeal fresh judgment on defection and related matters.

A Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu State a few days ago had ruled that defection did not constitute any known offence but constitutional rights of freedom of association as enshrined under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution is guaranteed.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had asked the court to declare the seat of Ben Ayade vacate for dumping the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The counsel to the Cross River Governor, Mike Ozekhome SAN, had in a letter drawn the attention of the court to the Court of Appeal judgment and prayed the court to bow and respect the decision of the higher Court of Appeal.