Breaking : Court Dismisses Suit seeking to replace 27 Pro-Wike lawmakers In the Rivers State Assembly.
A lawsuit which was instituted at removing the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who are loyalists of the former Governor of Rivers State and FCT Minister, Bar Nyesom Wike has been dismissed by the federal high court.
Justice Peter Lifu, who issued the ruling, stated that the lawsuit brought by the Action People’s Party (APP) was dismissed as it was filed beyond the 14-day period permitted by law.
Although the purported defection involving Martins Amaewhule and 26 others reportedly occurred in December 2023, the APP initiated the legal proceedings on July 12, which was eight months after the event took place.
Justice Lifu further maintained that the case represented a significant misuse of the judicial process, noting that numerous lawsuits concerning the purported defection of the same 27 lawmakers had already been resolved by the Federal High Court.
The plaintiffs were requesting the court to instruct INEC to organize a by-election for the seats vacated by the 27 lawmakers who defected to the APC.
In response to the ruling, Martins Amaewhule, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, stated that he and 26 other legislators did not switch their allegiance from the PDP to the APC.