A Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment on the Rivers state political crisis has explained the reason behind the restoration of the 27 lawmakers who were allegedly loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike.
According to the document, there is no evidence to back up the claim that the Martin Amaewhule-led leadership of the State House of Assembly members have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Supreme Court accused Governor Fubara
Channels TV reported that the judgment, which was signed by Justice Emmanuel Agim, stated that Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, who raised the defection allegation against the 27 lawmakers, on his own, withdrew the claim before the Federal High Court in Abuja
Going against the defection claim against the 27 lawmakers on Wike’s side, the apex court stated that in the face of the law, there was no defection and therefore, the status quo in the Rivers House of Assembly must remain.
Justice Agim endorsed the judgment copy which clearly stated that there cannot be any House of Assembly aside from the one prescribed by the 1999 Constitution. He added that the Constitution did not envisage or endorse Governor Fubara’s position to recognise four lawmakers as the authentic House of Assembly.
Supreme Court faulted Governor Fubara
The apex court consequently ruled that it was an aberration for the governor to make any presentation, request and nomination to the Rivers State House of Assembly except the Martin Amaewhule-led house.
The CTC reads in part:
“What is clear from the above concurrent findings is that the 8” respondent (Fubara) started the prevention of the sittings of the Rivers State House of Assembly constituted by the number of members as prescribed by Section 96 of the 1999 Constitution long before the issue of the remaining 27 members defecting to another political party arose.”
The Supreme Court then dismissed the judgment of the Court of Appeal that earlier aligned with the position of Governor Fubara and upheld the verdict of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which kicked against the governor’s claim.
Wike vs Fubara: Niger Delta groups issued threat
Legit.ng earlier reported that the federal government has been warned by the INC, IYC and other groups that oil production would be destabilised in Rivers should Governor Siminalayi Fubara be impeached.
According to the groups, the lawmakers loyal to former governor and FCT minister Nyesom Wike should not use the Supreme Court judgment as a ground to impeach the governor.
The lawmakers, whose authority was affirmed by the Supreme Court, earlier issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the governor to represent the 2025 budget.
