*Court Says Amaewhule And 26 Others Not Declared As PDP Members, State Legislators

In a press briefing held today, the Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, addressed the misleading news circulating in various media outlets regarding the membership of Martins Amaewhule and 26 others in the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Iboroma, who is also the 3rd defendant in SUIT NO DHC/20/CS/2024, clarified that the suit did not seek to declare the seats of Martins Amaewhule and 26 others in the Rivers State House of Assembly vacant. Instead, the claimants’ suit was struck out for want of locus standi and jurisdiction, as well as for being an abuse of court process, which robbed the trial court of jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter.

The Attorney-General emphasized that Martins Amaewhule and 26 others had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 11, 2023, as stated in an affidavit evidence deposed by Martins Amaewhule for himself and on behalf of the 26 others in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1681/CS/2023 before Hon. Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division. The suit is still pending in court.

Iboroma further clarified that, according to section 272(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, only the Federal High Court can determine whether Martins Amaewhule and the 26 others are still members of the PDP and the Rivers State House of Assembly, as held by the trial court.

The Attorney-General also reminded the public of a subsisting order of interlocutory injunction in Suit No.PHC/512/CS/2024, which restrains Martins Amaewhule and his co-travelers from further parading or presenting themselves as lawmakers in Rivers State pending the determination of the substantive suit. This order has not been appealed against to date.

In conclusion, Iboroma urged the public to disregard the news currently circulating in social, print, and electronic media claiming that Martins Amaewhule and 26 others have been declared as members of the PDP and the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Nominations Open For Legal Leaders Awards 2025, Celebrating Excellence In Istanbul

______________________________________________________________________ For more information about the BRIPAN 2024 Annual International Conference, please contact the organizers at bripaninfo@gmail.com or call 09121114111. ______________________________________________________________________
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 35,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation ____________________________________________________