The Federal High Court Abuja on Friday, gave Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker, House of Representstives, Yakubu Dogara and 52 other lawmakers until April 17 to file their responses to a suit asking them to vacate their seats.
An advocacy group, Legal Defence and Assistance Project, dragged the lawmakers to court seeking a declaration that they were no longer members of the National Assembly having defected to other political parties before the expiration of their tenure.
The defendants comprise 17 Senators, 37 members of the House of Representatives, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the clerks to both houses.
When the matter was called, Efut Okoi announced appearance for the senate and the senators while Safiya Mohammed announced appearance for the members.
Both counsel urged the court to entertain their applications noting that a litigant’s choice of counsel was his fundamental right.
The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang however held that it was in the interest of justice to hear all counsel in the matter.
