BREAKING: Trouble for Fubara As Court Rejects Suit Seeking to Replace Pro-Wike Lawmakers
- A suit filed by Action Peoples Party (APP), seeking the sack and replacement of the 27- Rivers lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike has been thrown out by the court in Abuja
- The court rejected the suit for lacking merit and on the grounds that the PDP lawmakers who defected to the APC have the right to serve their constituents without undue interference
- This posed a major issue for Governor Sim Fubara who is at loggerheads with FCT minister Wike, over the control of Rivers state
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
FCT, Abuja - The Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly has emerged victorious at the court.
On Friday, September 20, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja dismissed a defection suit instituted against the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.
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Court explains why pro-Wike lawmakers cannot be replaced
The suit seeking to replace the 27 lawmakers on account of their alleged defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was dismissed on various grounds.
Delivering judgement on Friday, Justice Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja held that the suit instituted by the Action People’s Party (APP) was statute-barred and was not filed within 14 days allowed by law.
Channels TV reported that while the defection was said to have been carried out in December last year, the APP filed the case on July 12, eight months after the cause of action emanated.
Besides, Justice Lifu said that the case was a gross abuse of the court process on the ground that several suits on the alleged defection of the same 27 lawmakers had been adjudicated upon by the Federal High Court.
This came a few weeks after the Oko-Jumbo-led faction of the Rivers Assembly claimed that Amaewhule and 26 others were no longer members of the house, calling on INEC to conduct by-elections to fill their place in the house.
Leadership, The Punch and The Nigerian Tribune confirmed the report in their publication on Friday.
Rivers Assembly crisis: Wike vs Fubara
Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara have been at loggerheads since the governor assumed office.
The face-off between the duo affected the Rivers State House of Assembly, leading to factions.
Despite attempts by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other relevant political stakeholders, the crisis has continued.
What would happen if I leave PDP - Wike
In another development, Legit.ng reported that Nyesom Wike said there would be a “tsunami” in the PDP if he decides to leave the party.
Wike suggested that there would be an exodus of PDP members from the main opposition party if he dumped the party.
The former Rivers governor stated this at the PDP secretariat in Port Harcourt during the party’s state congress recently.
Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng
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Source: Legit.ng
