Rivers Crisis: Court rejects petition to reassign defection suit against PDP lawmakers

A petition filed by Hon. Martins Amaewhule, seeking to reassign a suit against him and 24 others for defecting from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been rejected by the court. Hon. Amaewhule and the other lawmakers involved are believed to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike.

Hon. Amaewhule’s petition aimed to halt the hearing process and transfer the case to another court, claiming that the current court had refused to allow other interested parties to join the suit. However, Justice Steven Dalyop Pam, on Monday, dismissed the petition noting that it had not been served on the Plaintiffs.
Counsel for the Llaintiffs, Reuben Wanogho, argued that the petition was an attempt to delay the proceedings and urged the court to disregard it. Wanogho emphasised that accepting the petition would set a harmful precedent.

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PDP’s National Legal Adviser, Adeyemi Ajibade (SAN), labeled the petition as ‘ill-intentioned’ and clarified that there was no intention to exclude anyone from joining the suit.
Counsel for the Defendants, Ferdinand Orbi (SAN), claimed no knowledge of the petition but requested the court to consider it and halt proceedings if it had been addressed to the Chief Judge.
Justice Pam pointed out that the petition had not been served on the plaintiffs and that no motion or counter affidavit had been presented to the court. Consequently, he ruled that the petition be dismissed. The case has been adjourned until June 28 for the hearing of pending motions.