The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has set April 16, 2025, as the date for its ruling on an application seeking the dismissal of a defection case filed by the Labour Party against 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The Labour Party is requesting the court to declare the seats of the lawmakers vacant, alleging that they defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
During the hearing, counsel for the defendants, including Speaker Martins Amaewhule, argued for the case to be struck out, citing a recent Supreme Court judgment.
Presenting a Certified True Copy of the judgment, the defense counsel emphasized that the Supreme Court had reinstated the Amaewhule-led leadership of the Assembly.
He further pointed out that Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who initially raised allegations of defection, had withdrawn his claims at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
On the other hand, counsel for the Labour Party, Clifford Chukwu, argued that the issue of defection was a “collateral matter” before the Supreme Court and urged the court not to dismiss the case based on the evidence already presented.
It will be recalled that on February 29, the Supreme Court ruled that, in the absence of substantiated evidence, no legal defection had taken place, thereby upholding the existing structure of the Assembly.
Speaking to Channels Television after the court session, Chukwu stated that he had presented his arguments, and only the ruling on April 16 would determine whether the submissions made by the defendants’ counsel would be upheld.
