Ugochinyere Raises Concern Over Plot to Remove Him from House of Representatives
HURIWA Condemns the Move
A legal action aiming to declare the seat of Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, who represents the Ideato North/South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, vacant, has been revealed at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The case, identified as No. FHC/Abj/cs/28/1/2025 and dated February 18, 2025, was initiated by Hon. Augustine Nwachukwu, the PDP chairman for Imo State, alongside Hon. ThankGod Okeke and three others, believed to be loyalists of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
Court documents, shared with journalists in Abuja on Friday, show that the plaintiffs are seeking to determine whether a member of the National Assembly who loses the membership of the political party that sponsored their election before the end of their term automatically forfeits their seat, as per Sections 65(2)(b) and 68(1)(b) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution (as amended). They are also questioning whether Ugochinyere, who was expelled from the party that sponsored his election, should lose his seat in the Assembly.
In response, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a pro-democracy group, criticized the suit as absurd and baseless. In a statement from its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group dismissed the legal action as unsupported by any valid law or judicial precedent in Nigeria.
HURIWA lambasted the plaintiffs for their apparent disregard for the rule of law and democracy, questioning why experienced political figures would file a suit seeking to vacate a lawmaker’s seat on the unsubstantiated grounds of a non-existent suspension, which, the group argued, is not a valid reason to declare a seat vacant.
The organization warned against wasting public funds and utilizing the judiciary for such frivolous actions, asserting that the lawsuit had no merit. HURIWA further criticized the plaintiffs, claiming they were acting out of frustration over Ugochinyere’s strong stance on political matters, including his opposition to the forced departure of pro-Wike lawmakers and his support for Governor Fubara. Ugochinyere’s criticism of Samuel Anyanwu, a former PDP National Secretary and a Wike ally, had also irked the group.
HURIWA also pointed out the absurdity of the suit, which was filed by a well-known Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), JJ Usman, suggesting that such an experienced lawyer should have known better than to bring a baseless case before the courts. The group warned the Nigerian public about the Wike camp’s attempt to undermine Ugochinyere, who had gained widespread approval for his advocacy against the illegal activities of the Wike faction.
In addition, HURIWA reminded the public that previous cases, such as the defection of Rivers State lawmakers, had followed proper legal procedures, where they defected and swore affidavits in court. As a result, their seats remained vacant, in accordance with the law. The group reiterated that Samuel Anyanwu is no longer the PDP National Secretary, and no amount of political maneuvering could change that fact.
HURIWA concluded by reiterating that such actions waste taxpayers’ money and attempt to manipulate the judiciary for political gain.
