Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, dismissed a suit seeking the removal of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for switching to the All Progressives Congress (APC) last year.
The judge dismissed the suit filed by the Action Peoples Party (APP) for being statute-barred.
The lawmakers who are loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for APC over the crisis that hit the Assembly in December 2023.
The lawmakers were led by Martins Amaewhule.
Following the development, the PDP asked the Assembly leadership and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the lawmakers’ seats vacant and conduct fresh elections in the constituencies.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu held that the suit was not filed within 14 days allowed by law.
He added that the case was a gross abuse of the court process because several suits on the lawmakers’ defection had been adjudicated upon by the court.
The judge pointed out that the push for the replacement of the lawmakers had earlier been rejected due to a lack of sufficient evidence to move against the defectors.
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