A group of 60 federal lawmakers known as the G-60, along with some constitutional lawyers, has hailed the recent declaration by the Federal High Court regarding the seats of 27 decamped Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The court’s ruling, issued by the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, has been described as a long-overdue victory for democracy.
The court, presided over by Hon. Justice Charles Wali, issued an interim injunction restraining the embattled Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martins Amaewhule, and 24 others from parading themselves as members of the House. Additionally, the affected lawmakers were barred from convening legislative sessions pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
Reacting to the court’s decision, the G-60 Federal Lawmakers and Constitutional Lawyers released a joint statement, signed by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere and Obe Agu, expressing satisfaction with the outcome. They lauded the judiciary for upholding the rule of law and safeguarding democracy in Nigeria.
According to the group, the restrained members of the Rivers State House of Assembly had flagrantly violated the Constitution and undermined democratic principles by defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This defection, they argued, rendered their seats vacant under Section 109 (1) (g) of the Constitution.
The G-60 emphasized that the court’s intervention was essential to prevent further abuse of legislative powers by Amaewhule and his cohorts. During their period of illegitimate occupancy, the restrained lawmakers purportedly engaged in legislative malpractices, including attempting to extend the tenure of local government chairmen and passing laws detrimental to good governance and economic development.
In particular, the group condemned the enactment of the Rivers State Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill 2024, which aimed to weaken procurement regulations and undermine accountability in contracting processes.
With the court’s declaration, the G-60 expressed confidence that democracy and constitutional governance would be restored in Rivers State. They commended the High Court for its timely intervention and called for adherence to the rule of law and respect for democratic norms in all branches of government.
The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of the group’s commitment to upholding the principles of democracy and defending the rule of law in Nigeria.
