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Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite against the Bayelsa State House of Assembly over an alleged plan to impeach him.
In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/221/2025, Ewhrudjakpo alleged that members of the Assembly were under pressure to remove him from office because he refused to resign from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the platform on which he and Governor Douye Diri were elected.
While Governor Diri recently resigned from the PDP, Ewhrudjakpo has remained in the party.
Through his counsel, Reuben Egwuaba, the deputy governor also claimed that some local government chairpersons, including Alice Tange of Sagbama LGA, were being threatened with removal for similarly refusing to defect from the PDP alongside the Governor.
Ewhrudjakpo is seeking several interim orders, including one restraining the state Assembly from initiating or conducting any impeachment proceedings against him for remaining in the PDP.
The Deputy Governor, who argued that any such move would contravene sections 188(5)-(9), (11) and 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), is also asking the court to restrain the assembly from recognising or dealing with any member of the All Progressives Congress as the deputy governor of Bayelsa State.
Additionally, Ewhrudjakpo wants an order stopping the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, and the Bayelsa State Attorney-General from withdrawing his security protection pending the determination of the motion on notice.
After hearing Egwuaba’s ex parte motion on October 27 — a copy of the certified true copy dated October 29, was sighted by our correspondent on Thursday — Justice Emeka Nwite ordered the defendants to appear before the court to show cause why the interim orders sought by the plaintiff should not be granted.
The defendants listed in the suit are the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, its Speaker, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, the Bayelsa State Attorney-General, the State Chief Judge, and the Clerk of the Assembly.
Justice Nwite ruled that the interest of justice would be best served by directing all the defendants to appear and show cause before the court decides on the interim injunction.
The case was adjourned until November 13 for the defendants to show cause, after which the court will proceed to hear the motion on notice.
Source: the Punch Online
