The Rivers State political crisis appears to be coming to an end, as Edison Ehie, the member representing Ahoada East Constituency II in the Rivers State House of Assembly, has withdrawn his contempt procedures suit against 25 of the 27 defected members.
Ehie, a close associate of the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, declared the seats of 27 members vacant in December following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ehie headed a group of four MPs who supported the governor. Fubara, on the other hand, has been embroiled in a bitter political war with his predecessor, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
Earlier, Ehie filed contempt proceedings at the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt against 25 of them in which he challenged their sittings and legislative activities.
In an interesting turn of events, however, Ehie resigned his position in the House of Assembly following the peace deal reached between Governor Fubara and Wike.
Now Mr Ehie is discontinuing and withdrawing his suit against the 25 lawmakers.
When the matter came up for hearing of applications pending before the court today, counsel to the Claimant, Mac-Barango Esq informed the court about a Notice of Discontinuance filed by his clients. He applied that the court should give effect to the said Notice.
This request wasn’t challenged by the defendant’s counsel and as such was struck out by the judge.