The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, has confirmed the filing of an appeal at the Supreme Court challenging the judgement of the Appeal Court delivered on Thursday.
Rt. Hon. Oko-Jumbo explained that the Assembly is taking this action because it believes the Court of Appeal erred in ruling that the Rivers State High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine SUIT NO. PHC/1512/CS/2024.
He made this clarification while addressing lawmakers during a plenary session at the temporary legislative facility in Port Harcourt on Friday.
Rt. Hon. Oko-Jumbo asserted that he remains the legitimate Speaker, emphasizing that there cannot be two Houses of Assembly in Rivers State.
He reiterated that the seats of Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule and 24 other former lawmakers remain vacant as declared by the then speaker, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, on December 13, 2023, following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 11, 2023.
“There cannot be two Houses of Assembly in Rivers State or indeed any State in Nigeria. This House of Assembly, with me as the Speaker, is the ONLY House of Assembly in Rivers State.
“As the whole world knows, on the 11th day of December, 2023, Martin Amaewhule and his 24 friends defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressive Congress.
“On the 13th Day of December, 2023, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, declared the seats of Martin Amaewhule and 24 others in the RSHA vacant. That declaration by Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie has not been set aside by any court in Nigeria.”
Rt. Hon. Oko-Jumbo explained that the legitimate members of the Rivers State House of Assembly obtained a restraining order against Martin Amaewhule and the 24 others after they continued to present themselves as members of the Assembly despite their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC and the subsequent declaration of their seats as vacant.
He noted that, dissatisfied with the rulings of the Rivers State High Court in Suit No. PHC/1512/CS/2024, Martin Amaewhule and the 24 others filed an appeal (No. CA/PH/198/2024) at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division.
“Yesterday, the 4th of July, 2024, the Court of Appeal, in its lead Judgement, allowed the Appeal by Martin Ameawhule & 24 ORS on the ground that the Rivers State High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine the case.
“Accordingly, the Court of Appeal struck out Suit No. PHC/1512/CS/2024 and NOTHING MORE. The Court of Appeal did not make any declaration that Martin Amaewhule & 24 ORS did not defect from the PDP to APC.
“The Court of Appeal also did not make any declaration that Martin Amaewhule and 24 ORS are still members of the RSHA.”
Rt. Hon. Oko-Jumbo emphasised: “We strongly believe that the Court of Appeal was in error when it held that the Rivers State High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine SUIT NO PHC/1512/CS/2024.
“Accordingly, we have instructed our lawyers and they have filed an appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria challenging the judgement of the Court of Appeal delivered on the 4th Day of July, 2024.
“Martin Amaewhule & 24 ORS, in spite of all their pretences, are no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and they remain so until a court of competent jurisdiction says otherwise.
“Once again, we the legitimate members of the RSHA HEREBY call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to promptly conduct a bye-election to fill the vacant seats in the RSHA.
“We strongly urge the general public to ignore Martin Amaewhule & 24 ORS in their pretense that they are members of the RSHA,” he added.
During the plenary, the House considered two bills, initiated debates, and advanced them through the first reading.
The bills included the Rivers State Emergency Management Agency Bill, 2024, presented by the Leader of the House, Hon. Sokari Goodboy, and the Rivers State Transport Company Reform Bill, 2024, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Adolphus Orubienimigha.
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