JUSTICE Donatus Okorowo of a Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from conducting bye-elections to replace 27 Rivers State House of Assembly members who defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC).
Eighteen-Eleven Media had on 11 December 2023 reported the defection of the lawmakers who are believed to be loyal to the former governor of the state, now a serving Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike
The Speaker of the faction of the Assembly loyal to the governor, Edison Ehie, declared the lawmakers’ seats vacant.
The Ehie faction also directed INEC to conduct elections in the affected constituencies.
However, the 26 affected lawmakers approached the court seeking to stop their replacement.
INEC, PDP, Rivers Assembly, Clerk of the State Assembly, Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) were the first to sixth defendants in the suit.
Delivering a ruling on the ex parte motion, Justice Okorowo barred all six defendants in the case from interfering with the activities of the plaintiffs.
“An interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the 1st defendant (INEC) from conducting fresh elections to fill the seats of the plaintiffs (the 27 lawmakers) in the Rivers State House of Assembly, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice”, Justice Okorowo ordered
Justice Okorowo also restrained the IGP and DSS “from denying or refusing to provide security to the plaintiffs or withdrawing their security details.”
Over the past few weeks, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers State, and Wike have been at loggerheads over control of the political structure of the state.
The feud between the duo snowballed to the Rivers State House of Assembly, causing factions in the state’s legislature.
At least nine commissioners have resigned from Fubara’s cabinet as the political crisis persists.
Eighteen-Eleven Media