The defection case against Hon. Martins Amaewhule, the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and 25 other lawmakers loyal to Barr. Nyesom Wike suffered a setback on Friday as two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) claimed to be the genuine representatives of the lawmakers….CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>

They said they were in court on the instruction of the Federal and State legal advisers of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to provide legal representation for the lawmakers as interested parties for the PDP at Court Two presided over by Justice E. O. Obele.

The lawmakers, who are in court over their alleged defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), insist they remain members of the PDP and are opposed to the calls for their seats to be declared vacant.

The matter was originally presided over by Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam, before Amaewhule, a defendant in the suit petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Tsoho, demanding that the matter be transferred to another court

Despite Amaewhule’s petition, Daylop Pam had insisted on continuing with the matter because the petitioner was not in the court to respond to any of the motions, applications and affidavits in court within the time provided by law, and therefore adjourned till Friday, 28th June.

When the matter was called up on Friday, there was a mild drama as Justice O. Obele presided, as two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) appeared before the court claiming to be the authentic legal representation for PDP in the matter.

One of the SANs, Joshua Musa, SAN, told the court that he was directed by the State Legal Adviser of PDP to handle the mater, adding it is within the power of the state Legal Adviser to appoint legal representatives for matters at the state level.

However, the other SAN, Rashq Gold, SAN, told the court that he had been briefed by the PDP’s National Legal Adviser to represent the party, citing the interpretation of the party’s constitution by a recent judgement by a Federal High Court that the party’s National Legal Adviser of PDP can assign cases for legal representation.

Meantime, the Presiding judge, Justice E. O. Obele, after much debate adjourned the matter to the 17th of July, 2024, to commence hearing and directed the two counsels for PDP to resolve their issues internally before returning to the court.

Two weeks ago, in a similar suit, a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt had declared that the 25 members remain members of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, striking out a suit filed by Wosa Amadi and three others seeking to declare the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant.

Justice Okogbule Gbasam in the judgement held that Martin Amaewhule and the 26 other lawmakers are still members of the PDP, declaring that
the claimants failed to prove to the court that the 27 lawmakers truly defected to the APC.

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