Rivers: Opposition Criticizes 27 Sacked Lawmakers Over Moves To Regain Seats

ABUJA – Members of opposition political parties in the House of Representatives on Monday criticised some 27 former lawmakers of the River State house of Assembly for making surreptitious moves to regain their seats in the state legislature.

The opposition Reps under the umbrella of Opposition Lawmakers Coalition described what it termed as “the endless denial of decampment” by the lawmakers who were sacked by an order of court for dumping their original party, PDP for APC, as provocative.

Led by their Spokesman, Ikenga Ugochinyere, the federal legislatures recalled an order from the Rivers State High Court in May 2024 barring the lawmakers from parading themselves as members of the state legislature following their defection.

Ugochinyere in a statement to this medium said the denial by the 27 House of Assembly members led by the former speaker, Martin Amaewhule, and the endless misinterpretation of the ruling of the Supreme court is a provocative backdoor attempt to destabilise governance in the state and regain their lost seats.

He also described such moves as fruitless and being oiled from FCT resources, adding that in line with the constitution the sacked legislatures have lost their positions in the lawmaking body.

The statement reads, “The endless denial of decampment by the sacked former Rivers State House of Assembly lawmakers led by former Speaker Martins, is a provocative back door attempt to destabilise governance in the state.

“The misinterpretation of the ruling of the Supreme Court after Gov. Fubara withdrew his Appeal over the already spent 2024 budget will not return legitimacy to the former lawmakers.

“Recall that in 2023, It’s widely known that these 27 Law makers publicly decamped to APC and have at various times deposed to Affidavits even in a suit at the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1681/CS/2023 that they’re now members of the APC owing to the alleged crisis in PDP.

“In line with the constitution, they lost their positions in the lawmaking body, and subsequently an order from Rivers State High Court, in May 2024 barred them from parading themselves as members of the state legislature after they defected from the PDP to the APC.

“Since then there have been endless gimmicks and delusions oiled by FCT resources as they try so hard to misinterpret court judgements, in their attempts to illegally return to the legislature.

“Their seats remain vacant because in line with the law they defected to APC and are no longer members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and there are many valid rulings of the High Court that have restrained them from illegally parading as lawmakers.

“Governor Siminalayi Fubara has never been the aggressor, rather it’s the group that doesn’t want peace, and they will not succeed in it.

“No Appeal Court decision has affirmed or ruled or decided on the illegality of decampment of 27 sacked . . . lawmakers.

There was a discussion where the President said all legal matters should be withdrawn so that peace can reign but the group secretly continued their case.

The statement said the “group never wanted peace, looking for ways to destabilize the government. It will not work. The Governor being a peace loving man listened to the President and withdrew his counter affidavit in that matter.

But the group continued that case against the intervention of Mr President and that’s the issue the A’Court affirmed. The case was filled before the decampment of the former lawmakers and any ruling from it does not confer any legitimacy on the former lawmakers.

“Still restless and delusional, they are misinterpreting the recent Supreme Court ruling. The Supreme Court ruled on the Appeal over the 2024 budget voluntarily withdrawn by Gov. Fubara because the 2024 budget cycle has ended and there is no need to waste time discussing a budget that has been fully spent and implemented.

“The sacked, disgruntled Martin Amaewhule and the group are jubiliating, out of ignorance of what informed the decision of the Apex court.

For their information and others who care, the Supreme Court judgement was sequel to the withdrawal of the appeal by Governor Fubara through his lead counsel, Yusuf Ali SAN.”

Ugochinyere, in the statement said “Governor Fubara in the notice for withdrawal of the case, informed a three-man panel of Justices of the Court that events have overtaken his suit.”

“For those who don’t know such events as mentioned by His Excellency, Governor Fubara includes inter-alia that the 2024 budget for instance has been fully executed and exhausted with 2025 Appropriation in effect, hence the case is statute-barred.

Also, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Oko Jumbo is still in charge and control of the legislature in the South-south state as the sacked lawmakers and their leader, Amaewhule, remain removed from office,” he concluded.