Suspicion and tension are heightening in Rivers State concerning the prevailing political crisis with the order by the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice John Tsoho, transferring the cases challenging the defection of 25 state lawmakers in Rivers State from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to reports, the cases have been transferred from Federal High Court 4, Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Steven Dalyop Pam, to Court Two, headed by Justice E. O. Obele.
The order undoubtedly came following a petition by Hon. Martins Amaewhule, a defendant in the matter, requesting that the cases against him be transferred to another court.
Records have it that the cases involve a suit filed by the BOOT Party and civil society organisations in the state, challenging the defection of Amaewhule and others to the APC.
It would be recalled that on Monday, the court resumed hearing, but was confronted with Amaewhule’s petition, addressed to the Chief Judge, seeking the case’s reassignment. Justice Pam, the presiding judge, read the petition in open court but noted that Amaewhule prayed for the CJ to stop the hearing process.
Meanwhile, parties involved in the matters are restrategising as the intentions behind the transformation order are still very unclear.~
