The 19 members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), have filed a notice of discontinuance of a suit they instituted against Governor Ayo Fayose at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The lawmakers had filed the suit against the state governor and others, to challenge the purported impeachment of Hon. Adewale Omirin as Speaker, and running of the House by only seven members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The APC lawmakers were alleged to have earlier fled the state after Hon Omirin’s impeachment, but were directed by the party to return after the March 28 Presidential elections.
A copy of the notice of discontinuance which was signed by the 19 lawmakers was obtained on Thursday by Channels TV’s judiciary correspondent, Shola Soyele.
In the suit, the APC lawmakers had specifically argued that by the provision of the constitution, the 7 PDP lawmakers lacked the legal right to take decisions on behalf of the House.
The plaintiffs had also asked the court to declare that Hon Omirin and his deputy are entitled to occupy their offices, except removed by two-third majority votes of the assembly.
The lawmakers also sought a declaration that Governor Fayose’s alleged attempt to force them to join the PDP and denounce the APC is against their constitutional rights to freedom of association.
They then asked the court to hold that the election of the PDP’s Dele Olugbemi as Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly was illegal, saying all deliberations and actions of the seven lawmakers were invalid.
Meanwhile, Governor Fayose, in a preliminary objection filed by three of his commissioners, asked the court for an order striking out or dismissing the suit in its entirety, for lack of jurisdiction.
