The Rivers State Government has clarified that the recent ruling by the Court of Appeal in Abuja did not reinstate Martin Amaewhule and 26 others to their positions in the State House of Assembly. This clarification was made following widespread misinterpretations of the court’s decision.
In a statement released by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Israel Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, it was emphasized that the court's judgment did not validate the positions of Amaewhule and his faction. According to the Attorney General, Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers automatically lost their seats on December 11, 2023, when they defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He highlighted that, under Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, their seats became vacant as no court order was required to enforce this provision.
The state government has taken further legal steps, filing an appeal to the Supreme Court and seeking a stay of execution on the Court of Appeal’s judgment. The Attorney General noted that the core issue at stake in the legal proceedings was the 2023 Appropriation Law and the involvement of the National Assembly in the legislative functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly, not the reinstatement of Amaewhule and his colleagues.
The crisis within the Rivers State House of Assembly originated after a failed attempt to impeach the governor, leading to a split between two factions. The Amaewhule-led faction pursued legal action in November 2023, shortly before defecting to the APC. However, the Attorney General stressed that this defection was never a subject of any court ruling, making reports of their reinstatement false.
Governor of Rivers State has urged citizens to disregard the misinformation and remain calm, reassuring them that the legal process will continue until a final resolution is reached.
