Ruling on suit to sack 27 pro-Wike lawmakers set for January 21

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, has adjourned till January 21, 2025, to rule on applications in a suit filed by the Labour Party seeking to declare vacant the seats of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

The LP, in suit number FHC/PH/25/2024, is also praying the court to determine whether the defection of the 27 lawmakers said to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, was proper.

The suit also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a by-election to fill in the vacant seats of the lawmakers to enable the LP and other interested parties to participate.

When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday in the court presided over by Justice Emmanuel Obele, our reporter observed the presence of the claimant, who is the LP’s Caretaker Committee Chairman in the state, Hilda Dokubo.

Meanwhile, during the sitting, Ferdinand Orbih — counsel for the second to 28th defendants in the matter including the embattled Speaker of the state legislature, Martin Amaewhule, the PDP, among others, told the court that the 29 defendants in the case planned to consolidate their applications.

Orbih informed the court that the application deals with the same subject matter which is praying the court to direct parties in the matter to file and exchange pleadings and call for evidence in proof of their respective cases.

He stated, “We respectively pray for your order consolidating the three applications.”

Orbih further presented their motions, insisting that the applications be backed up with paragraphs of affidavits and urged the court to grant the applications.

In his argument, counsel for the claimant, Clifford Chukwu, did not object to the consolidation of the applications but opposed the applications submitted by the defence counsel.

Chukwu urged the court to dismiss the motion by the first, second to 28th, and 29th defendants.

After listening to the submissions by the parties in the matter, the trial judge, Justice Obele adjourned the matter till January 21, 2025, for ruling on applications by the parties.