• Pro-governor’s lawmakers head for Supreme Court
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has broken his silence on Thursday’s judgement that recognised Martins Amaewhule and 24 other lawmakers as the Speaker and members of the state House of Assembly.
The governor declared that there was no cause for worry, insisting that the worst was over and that God had prepared a table for him in the presence of his enemies.
He assured that his administration would not waver in its commitment to providing critical infrastructure required for the speedy development of the state.
Fubara spoke shortly after he inspected the ongoing reconstruction of the Zonal Hospital project at Bori Town, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area on Friday.
The governor was accompanied on the inspection tour by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon Victor Kii, while the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the Council, Amb Marvin Yobana was on ground to receive the Governor and his team.
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Fubara said: “I know that a lot of you will be wondering what is going on and all that. Government has its own challenges. If you go to the book of Psalm 23 verse 5, in the Bible, it said that God prepares a table before you; it can be before anybody. But there is an underlined word that should be noted there: it said ‘in the presence of your enemies’. So, it means that nothing comes easy.
“I want to assure everyone of you and the good people of Rivers State, that we are not deterred. We have made our promises, we will continue to give you good governance, no matter how difficult it is.
“But, like I said before, the worst is over. We are moving on to ensure that we continue to provide what is needed for the development of our State.”
Meanwhile, the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led lawmakers have confirmed the filing of an appeal at the Supreme Court challenging the judgement of the Appeal Court delivered on Wednesday in Port Harcourt.
Oko-Jumbo insisted that he remained the Speaker of the state House of Assembly despite the Appeal Court judgement.
He said they “strongly believes 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”.
He spoke while addressing his camp during a plenary at the temporary facility used for Legislative businesses in Port Harcourt on Friday.
Oko-Jumbo declared that he remained the authentic Speaker because there could not be two Houses of Assembly in Rivers State.
Oko-Jumbo in a statement signed by Dr. Gillis West said that the seats of Martin Amaewhule and 24 other former lawmakers remained vacant as declared by the then factional speaker, Edison Ehie, on 13th December, 2023, following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the 11th day of December, 2023.
He said: “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.”
Oko-Jumbo explained that the legitimate members of the Rivers State House of Assembly secured restraining order against Martin Ameawhule and the 24 others when they continued to parade as members of the RSHA despite their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APC and their seats declared vacant.
He said that because they felt dissatisfied with the rulings of the Rivers State High Court in Suit No. PHC/1512/CS/2024, Martin Amaewhule & 24 ORS had filed an Appeal No. CA/PH/198/2024 at the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division.
Oko-Jumbo said: “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.”
Oko-Jumbo added: “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 pretence that they are members of the RSHA,” he added.
During the plenary, the Oko-Jumbo-led considered two bills, opened debate, and moved them through first reading.