We Are Studying Judgment Declaring Pro-Wike Lawmakers PDP Members – APC Spokesman

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has said that it is studying the judgement which declared the Martin Amaewhule-led 27 members of the state House of Assembly members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Rivers APC Publicity Secretary, Chibuike Ikenga, told Punch that the party would take a position after receiving advise from its lawyers.

He said, “Well the decision of the court is what it is. Ours is to obey or appeal.

“But as we speak our leadership is looking at it and based on the advice from the legal department of our party we will take a position on it.”

Asked how soon that will happen, he said, “I think the process is on now. We are in stakeholders engagement so we will know the next line of action afterwards.”

Naija News recalls that a Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, had, on Monday, declared that the 27 lawmakers loyal to ex-governor Nyesom Wike are PDP members.

The court ruled that the 27 lawmakers were still valid members of the Rivers State House of Assembly because there was no proof that they had defected from the PDP to the APC.

The court, in a ruling by Justice Okogbule Gbasam, struck out the suit filed by Hyacinth Amadi and three others, seeking to declare the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant on the grounds that they defected from the PDP to the APC.

The 27 lawmakers had last year announced their defection from the PDP to the APC at the height of the crisis between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike.

The Assembly also became factionalised following a failed attempt by the pro-Wike lawmakers to impeach Fubara in October last year.

But in his ruling on Monday, Justice Gbasam held that Amadi and others. seeking to declare the seats of the pro-Wike lawmakers vacant, failed to bring any concrete evidence to convince the court that the pro-Wike lawmakers had truly defected and deserved to lose their seats.

The judge ruled that defection cannot be established through newspaper publications, radio announcements or online publications.

According to the court, a defection can only be established through the party membership register, a membership card and such members fulfilling all requirements of their membership in the party.