The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to suspend plans of holding by-elections to replace defected 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The lawmakers’ seats were declared vacant, following their controversial mass defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) a few days ago.
Presiding Justice Donatus Okorowo forbade the defendants in the suit from making moves to stop the 27 lawmakers from carrying out their legislative duties as duly elected members of the parliament.
On December 13, the 27 lawmakers moved to forestall any actions against their defection decision.
The group filed a suit through their lawyer, Peter Onuh. The request prayed the Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the Rivers State House of Assembly, INEC, and the PDP from sabotaging their rights and positions at the parliament.
The Inspector-General of Police and the State Security Service (SSS) were also told to refrain “from denying or refusing to provide security to the 27 Lawmakers or withdrawing their security details”.
Justice Okorowo adjourned the case to December 28 for further hearing.
The political crisis in Rivers state has been ongoing for weeks. The conflict however, swung in an unexpected direction last week as mass defections rocked the State House of Assembly.
In the blink of an eye, 27 out of the 32 lawmakers – reported to be loyalists of former governor and current minister of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike – defected from the Fubara-led PDP to the APC.