BREAKING: Wike Wins as Court Bars PDP, INEC From Stopping 27 Rivers Lawmakers
- Justice Donatus Okorowo of a federal high court, Abuja, has extended the interim order stopping INEC and the PDP from taking any action against the Rivers lawmakers who defected to the APC
- Legit.ng reports that the court extended the order following an application by counsel for the embattled lawmakers, Steve Adehi (SAN), who appeared for the Rivers state house of assembly
- Although PDP’s lawyer, Adeyemi Ajibade (SAN), opposed the application, Justice Okorowo agreed that based on Order 26, Rule 10 of the FHC, the court has the discretionary power to grant the plea
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Port Harcourt, Rivers state - The federal high court in Abuja has extended the order that restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Rivers state house of assembly from declaring 27 seats vacant.
It would be recalled that the court, earlier in December, barred the commission from conducting an election to fill the seats of the 27 members, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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Rivers lawmakers who defected cannot be stopped
Justice Donatus Okorowo extended the order on Thursday, December 28, based on an application by the lawyer to the lawmakers, Steve Adehi (SAN), The Nation reported.
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Ken Njemanze (SAN), who represented the house of assembly, did not oppose it.
The judge rejected the objection raised by the lawyer to the PDP, Adeyemi Ajibade (SAN).
Justice Okorowo held:
“Application for the extension of the lifespan of the ex-parte order pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice is hereby granted.”
He adjourned until January 24 for a hearing of pending applications.
Legit.ng reports that the development is seen as a win for Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), as the defectors are his allies. In fact, it is said in some quarters that the former PDP members acted on his orders.
Wike and his former loyalist, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state, are currently locked in a supremacy battle.
Rivers: Dokubo stands with Fubara
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, an Ijaw nationalist and former leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), said the people of Rivers have given their mandate to Governor Fubara, governor of the state.
Dokubo warned that anybody who wants to take the mandate from the Rivers governor “would go down”.
Tinubu lauds Fubara for resolving with Wike
Legit.ng also reported that President Bola Tinubu commended Governor Fubara of River state over his recent move.
Tinubu lauded Fubara over what he described as the governor’s statesmanship in resolving the political impasse between him and Wike.
Why Rivers elders are against me, Wike
Meanwhile, Wike criticised some elders of Rivers state for rejecting the outcome of President Tinubu’s intervention.
Wike said the elders are against him because some of their sons lost the general election.
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Source: Legit.ng
