Justice Peter Lifu, who issued the ruling, stated that the lawsuit brought by the Action People's Party (APP) was dismissed as it was filed beyond the 14-day period permitted by law.

Although the purported defection involving Martins Amaewhule and 26 others reportedly occurred in December 2023, the APP initiated legal proceedings on July 12, which was eight months after the event took place.

Justice Lifu further determined that the case represented a significant misuse of the judicial process, noting that numerous lawsuits concerning the purported defection of the same 27 lawmakers had already been resolved by the Federal High Court.

The plaintiffs were requesting the court to instruct INEC to organize a by-election for the seats vacated by the 27 lawmakers who defected to the APC.

In response to the ruling, Martins Amaewhule, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, stated that he and 26 other legislators did not switch their allegiance from the PDP to the APC.