By kawaekwune Jeffrey
The Action Peoples Party (APP) has expressed its intention to appeal the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which dismissed a suit filed against 27 Rivers State lawmakers over their defection, labeling the matter as a pre-election issue.
The federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on Friday dismissed a suit brought against the 27 lawmakers who are loyal to minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and immediate past governor of Rivers State, Barr Nyesom Wike.
In a statement released by APP’s National Chairman, Barrister Uche Nnadi, the APP rejected the court’s decision, arguing that the judgment contradicts the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria.
Nnadi, in his statement, said: “If the court says the matter is a pre-election issue, then how can someone who is yet to win an election as a lawmaker defect, even when he has not been elected?”
The APP chairman further revealed that his party was already preparing an appeal.
It would be recalled that the Federal High court in Abuja, on Friday, dismissed the case brought forward by the APP, questioning the legality of the lawmakers’ decampment.
However, reacting to the development, APP vowed to appeal the judgment. The APP chairman said: “So, decampment is now a pre-election matter? That’s not what the constitution says. No court has declared that the decampment of the lawmakers is valid. They can’t come through the back door. The matter is being appealed.”
Recall that there have been speculations that Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara might be mulling the idea of defecting to the APP following his political war with Wike.
Nnadi who made this statement in Abuja, vowing to pursue the case to a higher court to seek justice did not give any hint about this.
