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ABUJA – Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) has condemned an alleged secret suit filed at the High Court in Abuja, which is aimed at declaring vacant, Honourable Ikenga Ugochinyere’s seat at the House of Representatives.
The Human Rights group revealed that the case, Suit No. FHC/Abj/cs/28/1/2025, and dated 18, February 2025, was filed by one Hon. Augustine Nwachukwu (PDP State Chairman Imo state), Hon. ThankGod Okeke and 3 others.
In the court documents made available to journalists, the plaintiffs sought the determination of the following questions: “Whether by virtue of the provisions of Sections 65 (2)(b), 68(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), any member of the National Assembly who has lost the membership of the political party that sponsored his election into the National Assembly, before the expiration of the term for which he was elected automatically loses his seat in the Assembly, unless saved by the exception under that section.
Whether by virtue of the provisions of Sections 65 (2)(b), 68(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), the 1st Defendant who was expelled from the 3rd Defendant (the political party that sponsored his election as a member of the National Assembly), before the expiration of the term for which he was elected, has automatically lost his seats in the National Assembly.”
Reacting to the development, HURIWA`s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko described the suit laughable, baseless, saying that the application is not backed by any known law or judicial precedent in Nigeria.
Onwubiko also flayed what he said was the desperate actions of persons allegedly linked to the FCT minister, ad who have professed their loyalty, thereby endlessly trying in one way or another, to disregard the rule of law and democracy.
He wondered that these group despite their knowledge of the of the content of political parties’ constitution and the nation’s constitution will go ahead to file a suit to declare vacant a serving lawmaker’s seat “on imaginary grounds of a non existing kangaroo suspension which is not even a ground for declaring a seat vacant.”
The group warned political actors to stop wasting taxpayers money, and using the judiciary for embarrassing projects, as it declared that the suit was dead on arrival.
Huriwa said, “The suit filed by pro wike group lawyer called JJ Usman (SAN), using followers of the sacked pro-wike backed by PDP former national secretary, Samuel Anyawu, as plaintiff is seeking the impossible and ridiculous prayer of asking the court to declare the seat of Ideato Rep, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, who didn’t even decamp from the party which he was elected.
“How do you wake up and seek for the seat of a serving lawmaker who is still a member of his party to be declared vacant on an imaginary ground of a non-existing kangaroo suspension which is not even a ground for declaring a seat vacant.
The hatred of pro-Wiike group who are not happy over the hard stance of Ikenga on the issues of the illegal decampment of the sacked lawmakers, support to Fubara and his strong opposition against the sacked Wike agent called Samuel Anyanwu parading as national secretary keeps pushing the Wike group to engaging in different ridiculous illegal attempt to attack Ikenga whose advocacy against the illegalities of the Wike group keeps getting commendation from numerous Nigerians.
“The suit which was strangely filed by a controversial SAN who should know the law better is an embarrassment and an attempt to ridicule our judiciary. Huriwa is alerting the Nigerian public of another absurdity from the Wike camp being coordinated by the sacked PDP national secretary using his lawyer, JJ Usman, and their political house boys, Austin Nwachukwu, a Labour Party member parading as PDP State Chairman and other political clowns as plaintiffs.”
“Like we said before, it’s time to stop wasting taxpayers money. Former Rivers State House of Assembly lawmakers decamped on their own on the floor of the House of Assembly, they swore an affidavit in court to back their decampment, they were received by APC in a rally for decampment and handed over the APC flag.
Their seats remain vacant because in line with the law they defected to APC and are no longer members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and there are many valid rulings of High Court that have restrained them from illegally parading as lawmakers. Also Samuel Anyanwu is no longer the National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, no amount of restlessness and baseless plots will change that.”
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