27 pro-Wike lawmakers  still PDP members, says Rivers court

Martin Amaewhuke, along with 27 other Rivers State House of Assembly members, have been ruled by a Rivers State High Court to be still party members.

A challenge filed by Wosa Amadi and three others to declare the seats of the 27 MPs void after their defection to the All Progressives Congress in December 2003 was dismissed by the Court on Monday.

Martin Amaewhule and the other 26 MPs are still PDP members, according to the ruling of presiding judge Justice Okogbule Gbasam.

Noting that newspaper articles, radio announcements, or internet postings cannot prove such a defection, Judge Gbasam further determined that the claims were unable to show the court that the 27 legislators had genuinely defected to the APC.

The court held that a defection may only be proven by means of the party membership register, a membership card, and such members meeting the conditions of their party membership.