The High Court of Rivers State, located in Port Harcourt, has dismissed a lawsuit initiated by members of the Local Government Service Commission.
The Chairman of the Commission, Goodlife Ben, along with five other individuals, contested their dismissal by the former Sole Administrator, Ibok-Ete Ibas.
The claimants, who were appointed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, sought a court ruling to declare their removal unlawful and to mandate their reinstatement.
However, during the session on Thursday, their attorney, Kelechi Ubani, announced the withdrawal of the case, describing it as a “painful but necessary decision.”
Ubani informed the court that this decision was taken in the interest of fostering peace and progress within Rivers State.
Defense attorneys urged Justice Frank Onyiri to dismiss the case entirely instead of merely striking it out, but the judge did not concur.
Justice Onyiri rejected their objection as unfounded, referencing Order 25, Rule 1, which permits the withdrawal of civil suits.
The judge dismissed the case without imposing any costs and commended the claimants’ withdrawal as a “noble” action towards reconciliation.
