Court dismisses suit seeking to declare 25 Rivers Assembly seats vacant

A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has dismissed a suit seeking to vacate the seats of 25 assembly members who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmakers are known to be loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

On Monday, June 10, Justice Okogbule Gbasam delivered the judgment, stating that the claimants failed to provide sufficient proof that the defendants had indeed switched their allegiance to the APC. Therefore, the court ruled that the lawmakers are still considered members of the PDP.

This ruling follows a previous decision by the same court on Friday, May 30, which had declared the seats of these 25 lawmakers vacant pending the outcome of the ongoing suit. Additionally, the court had ordered Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule to cease parading as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and barred the 24 other lawmakers, who oppose Governor Siminalayi Fubara, from posing as legitimate lawmakers in the state.

The dismissal of the suit reinforces the current standing of the 25 lawmakers within the legislative framework of Rivers State, maintaining their positions amid the political dispute.