The Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has fixed March 18, 2024, to hear a suit seeking to sack the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC and reportedly loyal to immediate-past Governor of the State Nyesom Wike.
Africa Update reports that the lawmakers had defected at the height of the political crisis between Wike and his successor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The suit seeking to sack them was filed by the Rivers State Civil Society Organisations.
The plaintiff is contending that by the provisions of Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution, the lawmakers must lose their seats in the Assembly having abandoned the party on which they were elected into the legislature.
The suit, which was scheduled to come up on Monday, was adjourned as the presiding Judge, Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam, was said to be away for a judges’ conference.
The matter was, therefore, adjourned till March 18.
