- Reports had emerged earlier on Monday that the court ruled that the 27 lawmakers are still members of the Peoples Democratic Party
Rivers State Government has made clarification on the verdict of the state High Court regarding Martin Amaewhule and 26 others members of the state assembly who defected to All Progressives Congress.
Reports had emerged earlier on Monday that the court ruled that the 27 lawmakers are still members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Reacting to the reports, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, said the court did not rule that the lawmaker are still members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
In a statement on Monday in Port Harcourt, Iboroma stated that the purported report was misleading, stressing that the information is meant to deceive the public.
He explained that, as the 3rd defendant in the suit Suit No. DHC/20/CS/2024, the suit in question did not seek to declare the seats of Martin Amaewhule and 26 others in Rivers State House of Assembly vacant, adding that the suit was struck out on issues of jurisdiction.
He implored the public to disregard reports that the court affirmed the lawmakers membership of the PDP.
He said: “The suit of the claimants was struck out for want of locus standi and jurisdiction and also for being an abuse of court process which robbed the trial court of jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter.
“As you all know, Martins Amaewhule and 26 others defected from the People’s Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress on the 11th Day of December 2023 and stated that much in affidavit evidence deposed to by Martins Amaewhule for himself and on behalf of 26 others in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1681/CS/2023 before Hon. Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division. The Suit is still pending in court.
“By Section 272(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, it is only the Federal High Court that can determine whether Martins Amaewhule and 26 others are still members of the People’s Democratic Party and also members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. This much was held by the trial court.
“However, you will recall that there is a subsisting order of interlocutory injunction in Suit No. PHC/1512/CS/2024, restraining Martins Amaewhule and his co-travellers from further parading or presenting themselves as lawmakers in Rivers State pending the determination of the substantive suit, which has not been appealed against till date,” he added.
He, however, called on the public to disregard the reports that Martins Amaewhule and 26 others have been declared as members of PDP and the Rivers State House of Assembly
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