BEWARE OF FAKE NEWS: Rivers Govt Clarifies Appeal Court Ruling, Denies Reinstatement of Defected Lawmakers

The Rivers State Government has maintained that Thursday’s Appeal Court judgment in Abuja did not, in any way, reinstate the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the state House of Assembly.

In a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Thursday, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Israel Iboroma, clarified that Amaewhule and 26 others had defected on December 11, 2023, adding that their seats became automatically vacant from the moment they publicly announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

Iboroma emphasised that the issue of their defection was never brought before the Federal High Court or the Court of Appeal in Abuja, adding that no court has legitimised their membership in the House of Assembly following their defection.

Iboroma said, “Today, October 10, 2024, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division dismissed Appeal No. CA/ABJ/133/CS/2024 filed by His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division in suit No. FHC/ABJ/133/CS/2023 was delivered on the 22nd day of January 2024. It is important to state the facts and history of the case and the appeal thereof.

“On the 30th day of October 2023, after the failed attempt to impeach His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, the Rivers State House of Assembly became polarised into two factions. The faction led by Martin Amaewhule proceeded to the Federal High Court, Abuja Division and filed Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1613/CS/2023, on the 29th day of November, 2023.

“Subsequently, on the 11th day of December 2023, Martin Amaewhule and others defected from the Peoples Democratic Party that sponsored their election in the 2023 Legislative Assembly Election, to the All Progressives Congress.

“By operation of law, particularly Section 109(i) (g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), Martin Amaewhule and 26 others automatically lost their seats as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly on the 11th day of December 2023, as Section 109(1)(g) is self executory as no court order is required thereof.”

He added, “His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State on the 13th day of December 2023, presented the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, who was recognised as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly at the time. The Appropriation Bill was later passed into Law and became the Appropriation Law of 2024. An Appropriation Law is a state law within the purview of the High Court of Rivers State.

“Following the crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly and the intervention by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that the parties withdraw their cases in court, to allow peace reign, His Excellency the Governor of Rivers State obeyed the President’s directive and withdrew his cases and the processes he filed in Suit No FHC/ABJ/1613/CS/2023. Martin Amaewhule and others disobeyed the President and did not withdraw Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1613/CS/2023 and proceeded to obtain a judgment against His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State.

“After the judgment of the Court of Appeal today, there is a gale of misrepresentation and misinterpretation that Martin Amaewhule & 26 others remain members of the Rivers State House of Assembly with Martin Amaewhule as the speaker thereof. This is patently false. The defection of Martin Amaewhule and 26 others was not an issue for determination in the Federal High Court, Abuja and the Court of Appeal. What was in issue was the 2023 Appropriation Law and the National Assembly taking over the Legislative functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“Dissatisfied with the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, His Excellency, the Governor has directed his lawyers to file an appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court and also file an application for stay of execution of the judgment of the Court of Appeal. That maintains the status quo.

“Accordingly, His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State urges the good people of Rivers State to ignore the purveyors of fake news bent on misleading the good people of Rivers State.”