A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has struck out a suit filed by the Chairman and members of the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission, who were appointed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara but later removed by the former Sole Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas.
The claimants, Reverend Goodlife Iduoku Ben, Amadi Christian Echele, Chimenem Wisdom Jerome, and three others, had approached the court to challenge what they described as their unlawful removal and replacement with another chairman and members of the commission.
When the matter came up for judgment on Thursday, counsel to the claimants, Kelechi Ubani, informed the court of a notice of discontinuance filed at the request of his clients.
Ubani explained that his clients made what he called a “painful decision” to withdraw the suit in the interest of peace and progress in the state.
However, counsel to the 1st–12th defendants opposed the motion, urging the court to dismiss the case instead of striking it out.
In his ruling, presiding judge Justice Frank Onyiri dismissed the defendants’ objection, describing their motion as baseless.
Citing relevant legal authorities in support of the claimants’ application, Justice Onyiri struck out the suit under Order 25, Rule 1.
The court, however, declined to award costs or to dismiss the case as requested by the defendants, commending the claimants’ decision to withdraw the matter as “noble.”
