Federal High Court sets date for judgment on Rivers Lawmakers’ defection

The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, has set April 16, 2025, as the date for its ruling on the defection case against 27 Rivers State House of Assembly members.

The Labour Party filed the suit, seeking to declare the lawmakers’ seats vacant due to their alleged defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmakers, led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule, were accused of dumping the PDP for the APC.

However, the defendants’ lawyer requested the case be dismissed, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling that restored the Amaewhule-led Assembly leadership.

The lawyer also noted that Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who initially made defection allegations, had withdrawn them in a separate court case.

The Labour Party’s lawyer argued that the defection was a “collateral matter” before the Supreme Court and urged the court to proceed with the case based on existing evidence.

The Supreme Court had previously ruled that without concrete evidence, no legal defection had occurred.

A public policy analyst, Daniel Akinlami, expressed concerns over the potential influence of politics on the judiciary’s decision.

“I suspect that the rule of law may not be able to anchor all the events that are springing up,” Akinlami said.

The April 16 judgment will determine the fate of the 27 lawmakers and potentially resolve the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, which started six months after Governor Fubara took over from Nyesom Wike.

The crisis has pitted Governor Fubara against Wike, who currently serves as the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with both sides fighting for control of the state’s political structure.

Meanwhile, a coalition of political leaders, including Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, and Babachir Lawal, held a press conference today, urging the National Assembly to reject President Tinubu’s state of emergency declaration in Rivers State.

Diaspora Digital Media had reported that the president had declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich Niger Delta State, citing the need to contain the brewing politically-induced violence in the state.

The president suspended the governor, deputy governor and the House of Assembly, in the process.

The group condemned the president’s move, calling it an “unconstitutional proclamation” that undermines the democratic process.

Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, emphasized the need for President Tinubu to revoke the state of emergency and reinstate the elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and State Assembly of Rivers State.

The press conference was also attended by Yunusa Tanko, representing Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

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