Ehie Withdraws Suit Against 25 Rivers Lawmakers

There appears to be an end to the political crisis rocking Rivers State as the member representing Ahoada East Constituency II at the Rivers State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, has withdrawn his contempt proceedings suit against 25 of the 27 defected lawmakers.

Last December, Ehie, a close ally of the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, declared the seats of 27 lawmakers vacant over their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, two of the lawmakers later returned to the PDP. Ehie led the group of five lawmakers loyal to the governor. Fubara on the other hand has been engaged in a fierce political battle with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the FCT minister.

Earlier, Ehie filed contempt proceedings at the Rivers state high court in Port Harcourt against 25 of them in which he challenged their sittings and legislative activities.

In an interesting turn of events, however, Ehie resigned his position in the House of Assembly following the peace deal reached between Governor Fubara and Wike.

Now Mr Ehie is discontinuing and withdrawing his suit against the 25 lawmakers.

When the matter came up for hearing of applications pending before the court today, counsel to the Claimant, Mac-Barango Esq informed the court about a Notice of Discontinuance filed by his clients. He applied that the court should give effect to the said Notice.

This request wasn’t challenged by the defendant’s counsel and as such was struck out by the judge