The spokesperson of G60 Federal Opposition Lawmakers Coalition, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere has said that the 27 sacked Rivers lawmakers remain sacked, inspite of today’s Appeal Court judgement.
The Court of Appeal had dismissed the ex parte order given by the Rivers State High Court, in Port Harcourt, on May 10, 2024 stopping Martin Amaewhule from parading himself as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The appellate court also nullified the decision of the State High Court stopping 24 other members of the Assembly from accessing the complex or carrying out any such legislative assignment in the name of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The appellate court in determining the issue of jurisdiction of a lower court to hear and also grant an ex parte order, held that the Federal High Court is exclusively and mandatorily the only court that can hear such matters and not a State High Court, citing section 273 of the Constitution.
The three-man panel led by Justice Jimi Olukayode-Bada therefore upheld the appeal filed by a factional speaker of the River State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule and 24 others against the Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo and two others.
Reacting in a statement made available to media houses, on Thursday, Ugochinyere said ”Pro Wike 27 sacked Rivers lawmakers remain sacked, their seats remain vacant as Appeal court didn’t decide on the validity of their illegal decampment nor the declaration of their seats vacant.
”Appeal court didn’t void the declaration of the seats of the 27 pro Wike lawmakers vacant, Oko jumbo remains speaker, pending when the issue of the illegality of the decampment of the 27 lawmakers are resolved by a Federal High court as the Appeal Court said.
”The Appeal Court focused on declaring that the Federal High Court is the only court with Jurisdiction to decide on the legality or illegality of decampment thereby ruling against Rivers High Court proceedings.
”The legal fire works continues.
”The former Speaker Edison Ehi-led House votes and proceedings that declared the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant is still valid and subject of pending litigation and the vacant seats of the 27 lawmakers remains vacant and the actions of the House led by Ehi in declaring the seat vacant have not been declared null and void by any court.
”The local government Chairmen whose tenure have since expired remains expired and can’t be extended and was never extended”.
