Pro-Wike Rivers legislators’ denial of defection won’t save them – Federal lawmakers

Nigeria’s Opposition Lawmakers Coalition has described the endless denial of decampment by the sacked former Rivers State House of Assembly lawmakers, led by former speaker Martin Amaewhule, and the endless misinterpretation of the ruling of the Supreme Court as a provocative backdoor attempt to destabilise governance in the state and regain their lost seats.

The lawmakers, in a statement by their spokesperson, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, stated that the 27 sacked lawmakers loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, attempt to deny their decampment as fruitless and being oiled from FCT resources.

The lawmakers recalled how the Rivers State House of Assembly members, in December 2023, decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

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

The statement read: “The endless denial of decampment by the sacked former Rivers State House of Assembly lawmakers, led by former speaker Martins, is a provocative backdoor attempt to destabilize 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 was widely known that these 27 lawmakers 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 are now members of the APC owing to the alleged crisis in the PDP.

“In line with the constitution, they lost their positions in the lawmaking body, and subsequently, an order from the 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.

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“Since then, it has been endless gimmicks and delusions oiled by FCT resources as they try so hard to misinterpret court judgments 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 is the Wike group that does not want peace, and they will not succeed in it. No Appeal Court decision has affirmed, ruled, or decided on the illegality of the decampment of the 27 sacked pro-Wike lawmakers. There was a discussion where the President said all legal matters should be withdrawn so that peace could reign, but the Wike group secretly continued their case.

“The Wike group never wanted peace and kept 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 pro-Wike group continued that case against the intervention of Mr. President, and that is the issue the Appeal Court affirmed. The case was filed 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 had ended and there was no need to waste time discussing a budget that had been fully spent and implemented.

“The sacked, disgruntled Martin Amaewhule and the pro-Wike group are jubilating out of ignorance of what informed the decision of the apex court. For their information and for others who care, the Supreme Court judgment was sequel to the withdrawal of the appeal by Governor Fubara through his lead counsel, Yusuf Ali, SAN. Governor Fubara, in the notice for withdrawal of the case, informed a three-man panel of Justices of the Court that events had overtaken his suit.

“For those who don’t know, such events, as mentioned by His Excellency Governor Fubara, include, inter alia, that the 2024 budget, for instance, has been fully executed and exhausted, with the 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 in control of the legislature in the South-South state, as the pro-Wike sacked lawmakers and their gang leader, Amaewhule, remain removed from office. The earlier these errand boys obey the rule of law, the better for them. They should stop living in delusions and wake up and accept their fate.”