The Rivers State Government has confirmed that Martin Amaewhule and the other twenty-six people are not still Peoples Democratic Party members, as declared by the state High Court.
In a statement released on Monday in Port Harcourt, the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, clarified the situation and stated that the information in the alleged report was false and intended to mislead the public.
As the third defendant in the litigation (litigation No. DHC/20/CS/2024), he claims that the suit was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction and that it did not attempt to declare Martin Amaewhule and 26 other members of the Rivers State House of Assembly empty.
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He said: “The suit of the claimants was struck out for want of locus standi and jurisdiction and also for being an abuse of court process which robbed the trial court of jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter.
“As you all know, Martins Amaewhule and 26 others defected from the People’s Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress on the 11th Day of December 2023 and stated that much in affidavit evidence deposed to by Martins Amaewhule for himself and on behalf of 26 others in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1681/CS/2023 before Hon. Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division. The Suit is still pending in court.
“By Section 272(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, it is only the Federal High Court that can determine whether Martins Amaewhule and 26 others are still members of the People’s Democratic Party and also members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. This much was held by the trial court.
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“However, you will recall that there is a subsisting order of interlocutory injunction in Suit No. PHC/1512/CS/2024, restraining Martins Amaewhule and his co-travellers from further parading or presenting themselves as lawmakers in Rivers State pending the determination of the substantive suit, which has not been appealed against till date,” he added.
However, he urged the public to ignore rumours that Martins Amaewhule and 26 other people had been sworn in as PDP and Assembly members of the Rivers State.
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