LP Gets Court Nod To Play Defection Clip Of Amaewhule, 26 Others

The group of lawmakers, led by Martin Amaewhule, declared their shift from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 11, 2023.

This move was reportedly made without any internal crisis within the PDP, which is typically a prerequisite for justifying such defections.

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The Labour Party is among the parties requesting a judicial ruling on the validity of the lawmakers’ continued membership in the legislature.

After a hearing before Justice Emmanuel Obele of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, the Labour Party’s legal representative, Clifford Chukwu, asserted that the party possesses substantial evidence to support its case.

One key piece of evidence is a video clip showing Amaewhule announcing the defections on behalf of himself and the other 26 lawmakers.

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Chukwu noted that the court had granted permission to present the video as evidence, but during the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Justice Obele chose to address preliminary matters before moving on to the main issue. The case has been adjourned until January 21, 2025, when the video evidence will be submitted.

The Labour Party’s case was one of two matters heard by Justice Obele concerning the same issue.

The second case was filed by the Speaker of the Pro-Fubara lawmakers, Victor Oko-Jumbo, along with his colleagues Sokari Goodboy and Adolphus Timothy.

They are requesting that the court declare the 27 lawmakers no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, referencing Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, among other related requests.

After granting the PDP and APC applications for joinder, Justice Obele adjourned the case to December 10, 2024, for the adoption of processes, potentially leading to a judgment.