The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues to stand firm in its position that the 26 lawmakers who defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are no longer legitimate members of the Rivers House of Assembly. This assertion was made by the PDP National Legal Adviser, Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, following the adjournment of the lawmakers’ suit by Justice Donatus Okorowo of a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Ajibade emphasized that the party’s stance is rooted in upholding the country’s constitution. He stressed that regardless of any interventions by political figures, the PDP remains resolute in its claim to the contested seats, as they were originally won by the party in the elections.
The legal adviser cited Section 109 (1g) of the country’s constitution, which explicitly addresses issues pertaining to defection. He pointed out that the affected lawmakers had not denied their defection, and as such, the PDP is determined to reclaim the seats in question.
Furthermore, Ajibade revealed that the PDP had challenged the court’s jurisdiction to hear the suit and expressed intentions to appeal the ruling should the court assert its jurisdiction.
In response, Steve Adehi, SAN, the lawyer representing the 26 lawmakers, acknowledged the adjournment of the case and conveyed the lawmakers’ openness to a possible settlement, pending confirmation from their respective clients. He underscored the necessity of allowing all parties involved to verify the status of any settlement initiatives.
During the proceedings, Justice Okorowo extended the interim order that had previously halted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and PDP from taking actions against the defected lawmakers, following a request by the lawmakers’ counsel and the Rivers House of Assembly’s representative.
The court’s extension of the order restrained INEC from conducting fresh elections to fill the contested seats and prevented the declaration of the lawmakers’ seats as vacant, pending the resolution of the substantive suit.
The lawsuit, filed by the 26 lawmakers who switched from PDP to APC, lists several defendants, including INEC, PDP, the Rivers House of Assembly, the assembly’s clerk, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Department of State Service.
The case has been adjourned until January 24, 2024, when further proceedings are expected to address the jurisdictional dispute and any advancements in settlement discussions.
This legal saga underscores the political tension surrounding defection and party allegiances, and it shines a light on the intricate legal processes involved in resolving such disputes. As the court deliberates on the jurisdictional aspects of the case, the implications of its eventual ruling will undoubtedly reverberate throughout Nigeria’s political landscape.
