Court Dismisses Suit To Declare Senator Ned Nwoko Seat Vacant Over Defection

…Says Claimant Has No Legal Standing

The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has dismissed a suit filed by Marvis Ossai seeking to declare Senator Ned Munir Nwoko’s seat vacant over defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The court on Wednesday, March 19, ruled that the case was incompetent and that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

The suit, which was dead on arrival, asked the court to declare the Delta North Senatorial seat vacant, and cancel Senator Ned Nwoko’s Certificate of Return due to a defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Delivering judgement on Wednesday, Justice A. H. Musa, agreed entirely with the defendant’s arguments, ruling that The FCT High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, the claimant, Marvis Ossai, had no legal standing (locus standi) to bring such a case, and that the suit was legally defective, rendering it null and void.

The court dismissed the suit instead of striking it out, ensuring it cannot be resurrected on the same baseless grounds.