The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a suit instituted against the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The suit was seeking to replace the 27 lawmakers on account of their alleged defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was dismissed for lacking in merit.
Justice Peter Lifu who delivered the judgment held that the suit instituted by the Action People’s Party APP was statute barred having not been filed within 14 days allowed by law.
While the alleged defection by Martins Amaewhule and 26 others was said to have been carried out in December 2023 , the APP filed the case on July 12, a period of 8 months after the cause of action emanated.
Justice Lifu also held that the case was a gross abuse of 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.
The plaintiffs were praying the court for an other directing INEC to conduct a by-election for the seats of the 27 lawmakers having defected to the APC.
Reacting to the judgment, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Martins Amaewhule said he and 26 other lawmakers never defected from the PDP to the APC.
