A Rivers State High Court presided over by Justice Okogbule Gbasam, has thrown out a suit filed by Wosa Amadi and three others seeking to declare the seats of the 27 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the immediate past Governor of the state, Nyesom Wike vacant following their defection to the All Progressives Congress(APC) in December 2003.
Justice Gbasam in his ruling on Monday, 10 June, 2024, declared that Martin Amaewhuke led 27 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly are still bonafide members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP)
According to Justice Gbasam ,the claimants failed to prove to the court that the 27 lawmakers truly defected to the APC, noting that the said defection cannot be established through Newspaper publications, Radio announcements or online publications.
The presiding judge explained that a defection can only be established through the party membership register, a membership card and such members fulfilling all requirements of their membership in the party.
