Suit Seeking to Vacate Ikenga Ugochinyere’s Seat Withdrawn

The suit seeking to declare vacant the seat of Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency of Imo State, has been withdrawn at the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/28/1/2025, was filed on February 18, 2025, by Hon. Augustine Nwachukwu, Hon. ThankGod Okeke, and three others believed to be loyalists of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

The plaintiffs had sought the court’s interpretation of Sections 65(2)(b) and 68(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), arguing that any lawmaker who loses the membership of the party that sponsored their election should automatically forfeit their seat.

They contended that Ugochinyere, having been expelled from his party before the expiration of his term, no longer had the right to hold office.

However, in a Notice of Discontinuance dated February 20, 2025, the plaintiffs formally withdrew the suit, stating their intention to cease all legal proceedings.

The notice read in part:

“TAKE NOTICE that the Plaintiffs/Applicants herein intend and do hereby wholly discontinue their suit (SUIT NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/281/2025 BETWEEN HON. AUSTINE NWACHUKWU & ORS V. HON. IKENGA ONYINYE UGOCHINYERE IKEAGWUONU & ORS) against all the Defendants in the above-mentioned suit.”

Reacting to the withdrawal, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) described the case as “laughable, baseless, and not backed by any known law or judicial precedent in Nigeria.”

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said it was not surprised by the withdrawal but alleged that there were moves to secretly refile the suit.

The group warned that any such attempt would still be “dead on arrival” and called on individuals behind the lawsuit to “stop making a mockery of the judiciary and the rule of law.”