LP CASE SEEKING TO UNSEAT 27 RIVERS LAWMAKERS ON GROUNDS OF DEFECTION FAILS

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has dismissed the suit filed by Labour Party challenging the now purported defection of 27 of the suspended members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, from the PDP to the APC. Justice Emmanuel Obile, in his judgment, cited the recent judgment of the Supreme Court on the Rivers State political crisis, which touched on the issue of defection and declared that he can not preside on a matter that has already been decided by the apex court. Counsel to the defendants, KEN NJEMANZE, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had in his final written address, asked the court to dismiss the suit against Martin Amaewhule and 26 others, following the judgment of Supreme Court. However, counsel to the Labour Party, Clifford Chuku, argued that the issue of detection was a collateral issue in matter decided by the Supreme Court and asked the court not to dismiss the suit.