The Rivers State attorney-general and commissioner for justice, Mr Dagogo Israel Iboroma, has categorically stated that the recent claims circulating on social and conventional media regarding Martin Amaewhule and 26 others being members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) are entirely false. There has been no declaration by a High Court in Port Harcourt validating these claims.
In a statement released to the press in Port Harcourt, Iboroma urged the public to disregard the misleading news that is being spread, emphasizing that it is a deliberate attempt to deceive the public. He clarified that the news has no basis in law and should not be given any credence.
As the third defendant in the case, Iboroma was made aware of a recent court judgement. He clarified that the lawsuit in question did not seek to declare the seats of Martin Amaewhule and the other 26 individuals in the Rivers State House of Assembly as vacant.
The suit was dismissed by the court due to lack of standing and jurisdiction, as well as being an abuse of the court process.
It is important to note that Martin Amaewhule and the 26 others had already defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress on December 11, 2023, as attested in an affidavit filed by Amaewhule himself before Hon. Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The matter is still pending in court, and only the Federal High Court has the authority to determine their membership status.
Iboroma also highlighted the existence of an ongoing interlocutory injunction that prohibits Martin Amaewhule and his associates from presenting themselves as lawmakers in Rivers State until the substantive suit is resolved. It is important to note that this injunction has not been appealed against.
In conclusion, Iboroma urged the public to disregard the news and misinformation circulating on social, print, and electronic media, which falsely claim that Amaewhule and the others have been declared members of the PDP and the Rivers State House of Assembly.
