A Rivers State High Court, located in Port Harcourt, has affirmed the membership status of the 25 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, stating that they remain members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The court’s decision, rendered on Monday, dismissed a lawsuit brought by Wosa Amadi and three others, who sought to declare the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant after their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December.
In delivering the judgment, Justice Okogbule Gbasam ruled that Martin Amaewhule and the other 26 lawmakers are still bona fide members of the PDP.
Justice Gbasam further emphasized that the claimants failed to provide sufficient evidence to establish that the 27 lawmakers had genuinely defected to the APC.
He noted that defection cannot be proven solely through newspaper publications, radio announcements, or online publications.
According to the court, a defection can only be confirmed through the party’s membership register, possession of a membership card, and fulfillment of all requirements stipulated in the party’s membership guidelines.