The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has scheduled April 16, 2025, to deliver its ruling on a case filed by the Labour Party seeking to declare vacant the seats of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who are alleged to have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The case, centered around allegations of political defection, involves lawmakers reportedly loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike. During the recent hearing, Speaker Martins Amaewhule, through his legal counsel, urged the court to dismiss the suit, citing a Supreme Court ruling which he argued had reinstated the Assembly’s leadership under his watch. He also referenced the withdrawal of a similar suit by Governor Siminalayi Fubara from the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Representing the Labour Party, counsel Clifford Chukwu maintained that the issue of defection had not been fully addressed by the Supreme Court and argued that it was a distinct matter that warranted independent judicial consideration. He pointed out that credible evidence had been submitted before the court to support the defection claim.
Earlier, on February 28, the Supreme Court ruled that there was insufficient proof that the lawmakers officially switched parties and therefore ordered that the current composition of the House remain unchanged. The court also directed that the state’s financial allocations be withheld until Governor Fubara re-presents the appropriation bill to the Assembly recognized by the constitution.
In the aftermath of the court session, Chukwu expressed confidence in the strength of his submissions, noting that the judgment slated for April would determine the legitimacy of the lawmakers’ continued tenure.
The legal battle reflects the ongoing political tension in Rivers State, which has escalated since Governor Fubara succeeded Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. The dispute revolves around control of the state’s political machinery, with the 27 lawmakers seen as staunch allies of the former governor.
Commenting on the situation, public policy analyst Daniel Akinlami voiced concerns about the role of the judiciary in resolving such politically charged disputes. He suggested that the case might be influenced more by political power than legal merit, expressing skepticism about whether a fair ruling could be delivered in Nigeria’s current judicial climate.
“The outcome of this judgment is critical,” Akinlami said. “But in a system where political influence is deeply entrenched, justice is not always guaranteed.”
