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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has dismissed a suit filed by the Labour Party in Rivers State challenging the alleged defection of the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 26 others.
Presiding judge, Justice Emmanuel Obile, dismissed the case on Tuesday, citing a recent Supreme Court decision, which he said had already addressed the issue of defection in the suit.
Justice Obile held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to adjudicate on a matter that had been conclusively determined by the Supreme Court.
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Counsel for the defendants, Ken Njemanze, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had in his final written address urged the court to dismiss the suit in light of the apex court’s ruling, which upheld the legitimacy of the lawmakers.
Labour Party counsel, Clifford Chuku, argued that the issue of defection was a collateral matter in the case decided by the Supreme Court and urged the court not to dismiss the suit.
