HURIWA kicks over ‘Secret Suit to Declare Ugochinyere’s Seat Vacant’

A suit seeking to declare vacant the seat of member representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere on baseless ground has been uncovered in the Federal High Court of Nigeria in the Abuja Judicial Division. The Suit No.FHC/Abj/cs/28/1/2025, dated 18, February 2025 was filed by one Hon. Augustine Nwachukwu (PDP State Chairman Imo state), […]

A suit seeking to declare vacant the seat of member representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere on baseless ground has been uncovered in the Federal High Court of Nigeria in the Abuja Judicial Division.

The Suit No.FHC/Abj/cs/28/1/2025, dated 18, February 2025 was filed by one Hon. Augustine Nwachukwu (PDP State Chairman Imo state), Hon. ThankGod Okeke and 3 others believed to be supporters and loyal to FCT minister Nyesom Wike.

In the court documents made available to journalists, the plaintiffs sought the determination of the following questions: “Whether by virtue of the provisions of Sections 65 (2)(b), 68(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), any member of the National Assembly who has lost the membership of the political party that sponsored his election into the National Assembly, before the expiration of the term for which he was elected automatically loses his seat in the Assembly, unless saved by the exception under that section. Whether by virtue of the provisions of Sections 65 (2)(b), 68(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), the 1st Defendant who was expelled from the 3rd Defendant (the political party that sponsored his election as a member of the National Assembly), before the expiration of the term for which he was elected, has automatically lost his seats in the National Assembly.”

Reacting to the shocking and shameless development, Pro-democracy advocacy group: Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko described the suit laughable, baseless, saying that the application is not backed by any known law or judicial precedent in Nigeria.

The group flayed the desperate actions of the errand boys to whom they have profusely professed their loyalty, trying one way or another, endlessly to disregard the rule of law and democracy.

Huriwa wondered why grown adults who are fully knowledgeable of the content of political parties constitution and the nation’s constitution will craft up a funny suit to declare vacant a serving lawmaker’s seat on imaginary ground of a non existing kangaroo suspension which is not even a ground for declaring a seat vacant.

The group warned political actors stop wasting tax payers money, and using the sacred judiciary for embarrassing projects, adding that the suit is dead on arrival.

Huriwa said, “The suit filled by pro wike group lawyer called JJ Usman SAN using followers of the sacked pro wike backed by PDP national secretary Samuel Anyawu as plaintiff is seeking the impossible and ridiculous prayer of asking the court to declare the seat of ideato rep Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere who didn’t even decamp from the party which he was elected.

“How do you wake up and seek for the seat of a serving lawmaker who is still a member of his party to be declared vacant on a imaginary ground of a non existing kangaroo suspension which is not even a ground for declaring a seat vacant. The hatred of pro wike group who are not happy over the hard stance of Ikenga on the issues of the illegal decampment of the sacked pro wike lawmakers, support to Fubara and his strong opposition against the sacked agent  parading as national secretary.”