Court dismisses lawsuit seeking removal of Abia lawmaker from National Assembly.

A Federal High Court in Umuahia has dismissed a lawsuit filed against Chris Nkwonta, the member of parliament for Ukwa East/Ukwa West in Abia State.

The case was brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which asked the court to declare Nkwonta’s seat vacant after he defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP claimed that Nkwonta’s move violated section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 constitution of the PDP and requested that a by‑election be held within 90 days to fill the House of Representatives seat.

Justice S.B. Onu, who heard the matter, ruled that the case was dismissed because the plaintiff had not pursued the matter diligently and had shown no genuine interest in the case.

Meanwhile, Nkwonta, who won the APC primary for the Ukwa East/Ukwa West federal constituency, has received his certificate of return as the party’s candidate for the 2027 House of Representatives election.

The certificate was presented to him at the APC office in Umuahia by the APC National Assembly primary election Returning Officer for Abia State, Erasmus Cishak.