The Rivers State Government has officially addressed the recent Appeal Court judgment in Abuja, asserting that the ruling does not reinstate the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the state House of Assembly.
According to Reports, the Rivers State House of Assembly has been grappling with a leadership crisis since October 30, 2023, when it split into two opposing factions. One faction, led by Martin Amaewhule and supported by former governor Nyesom Wike, stands in contrast to another faction led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, which has the backing of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Responding to the Appeal Court’s judgment that favored the Amaewhule faction, Israel Iboroma, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, emphasized that the ruling did not address the defection or reinstatement of Amaewhule and others. He highlighted that no court has validated their positions in the House of Assembly after their defection.
Iboroma recounted, “On October 30, 2023, following an unsuccessful attempt to impeach the governor, the Rivers State House of Assembly fractured into two factions. The faction led by Martin Amaewhule filed Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1613/CS/2023 on November 29, 2023. On December 11, 2023, Amaewhule and others defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, the party that sponsored their election, to the All Progressives Congress.”
Iboroma noted that under Section 109(i)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, Amaewhule and 26 others automatically lost their seats in the House of Assembly upon their defection, as this section is self-executory and does not require a court order.
He continued, “On December 13, 2023, the governor presented the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the House of Assembly, which was then led by Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, recognized as the Speaker at that time. The Appropriation Bill was subsequently passed into law.”
He explained that following the leadership crisis and the intervention of the President of Nigeria, the governor complied with the directive to withdraw his cases from court to foster peace. However, Amaewhule and his faction did not comply and continued with their legal proceedings.
“After the Appeal Court’s judgment, there has been significant misrepresentation suggesting that Amaewhule and others are still members of the House with Amaewhule as the Speaker. This is false. The matter of their defection was not addressed in either the Federal High Court or the Court of Appeal,” Iboroma stated.
He concluded by saying that the governor has instructed his legal team to appeal the Court of Appeal’s judgment to the Supreme Court and to apply for a stay of execution to maintain the current status.
The governor urged the residents of Rivers State to dismiss false information being circulated and remain informed about the true developments in the state.
