Court dismisses suit seeking to declare pro-Wike lawmakers’ seats vacant

PORT HARCOURT — A case filed by Hyacinth Amadi and Godspower Obuah and Tonye Dairus seeking to declare the seats of 27 lawmakers vacant on Monday dismissed by Rivers state High Court sitting in Port Harcourt while affirming that Martin Amaewhule and the 26 other members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are still members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

COURT RULING

THE Informant247 gathered that Justice Okogbule Gbasam of the Rivers State High Court, while delivering judgement in Port Harcourt, held that the claimants failed to prove that the defendants, Martin Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers, had actually defected to the APC, adding that membership of a party is only proven by being listed on the party’s register or by membership card and that television ceremonies and or verbal statements aren’t enough to show same.

The PDP had filed a motion to be joined in the case and was added as the fourth defendant.

STATE GOVERNMENT BOUND TO OBEY LAWS

It was further reported that the court also held that the Rivers state government is bound to obey all laws passed by the Assembly as they are still members of the PDP; hence, their names were still in the PDP’s membership register as provided by the party, adding that the state government is bound by the laws made by the Assembly as they are still members of the PDP and as such have not lost their seats.