On Thursday, the raging political crisis in Rivers statetook another interesting twist. The judgment of the Appeal Court in Abuja gave some degree of reprieve to Martins Amaewhule and his group of 26 Assembly members.
The judgment sparked a wild jubilation in the camp of the former Governor and serving minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. It gave the minister some edge over Governor Siminalayi Fubara in the ongoing political war of attrition. Wike’s ardent supporters were seen dancing and jubilating all over the state based on their relative interpretations of the judgment. The ruling further choked the political system in Rivers and further ignited the raging political tension.
The Appeal court’s judge in the ruling held that the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt lacked the jurisdiction to rule on the validity of the defection by Martins Amaewhule and his colleagues.
In its reaction to the judgment, G-60 Federal Opposition Lawmakers Coalition in the National Assembly argued that the Pro-Wike 27 sacked Rivers lawmakers remain sacked, their seats remaining vacant as the Appeal Court didn’t decide on the validity of their illegal decampment nor the declaration of their seats vacant. The Coalition’s spokesperson, Hon Ikenga Ugochinyere said the Appeal Court only declared that the Federal High Court was the appropriate court with jurisdiction to decide on the legality or illegality of decampment thereby ruling against the decision of the Rivers State High Court.
But Chief Tony Okocha, the caretaker committee chairman of APC in Rivers state responded that “Justice was served, the reasoning adduced by the venerated Justice of the Court of Appeal under which stood the bedrock of their unanimous decision, is very sound and unimpeachable”
Peoplesmind
