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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The political crisis rocking Rivers State assumed a new dimension on Monday, as a State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt affirmed that the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, and the 26 other members of the House of Assembly who are loyalists of former Governor Nyesom Wike are still members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The 27 lawmakers had announced their defection to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2023.
Subsequently, there have been calls that their seats should be declared vacant because of their defection from the platform on which they were elected into office, especially by the camp of Governor Fubara Fubara, who has been at loggerheads with Wike over the control of the political structure in the state.
Fubara had also derecognised the lawmakers and is now dealing with a three -man assembly led by Victor Oko Jumbo for the confirmation of his appointees and other necessary legislative inputs.
However, Justice Okogbule Gbasam, on Monday said it cannot be proved that Amaewhule and the 26 other lawmakers, had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The suit was instituted by Hycenth Amadi & others while Amaewhule & 24 others, the Governor of Rivers State, Attorney General of Rivers State and Rivers State House of Assembly are the defendants.
The judge held that the claimants have not been able to prove that the names of Amaewhule and the 26 other lawmakers are now in the membership register of APC.
Justice Gbasam ruled that a party’s register or membership card, and not television ceremonies and/or verbal statements, were the only acceptable proofs of membership.
He further explained that the claimants failed to prove that Amaewhule and 24 others have defected to APC as alleged as the court cannot rely on newspaper and electronic media publications as enough evidence.
“The 27 lawmakers are still members of the PDP since their names are still in the PDP’s membership register as provided by the party,” the court held.
Justice Gbasam added that the 25 members never lost their seats, stressing that everything they did were valid.
Consequently, he ordered Fubara to comply with all the laws passed by the lawmakers.
Recall that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over byJustice Kolawole Omotosho had earlier declared Amaewhule-led lawmakers bonafide members of the Rivers House of Assembly.