Status of 27 Pro-Wike Lawmakers: A tale of many lies?
● Rivers Govt disputes claims of a court ruling allegedly made in favour of the embattled lawmakers
By PHC Telegraph
Members of the State House of Assembly who are fighting to retain their membership of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Claims that a court which heard a matter pertaining to the fate of 27 lawmakers in Rivers State accused of defecting to the APC has legally confirmed their status as members of the PDP and the House of Assembly have been described as false and misleading.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Israel Iboroma who reacted swiftly to media reports, suggesting that the 27 lawmakers standing trial in court are still members of the Peoples Democratic Party said the claims simply have no basis.
Stating the position of the Rivers State Government, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Israel Iboroma said the subject matter of the suit filed before the court which was struck out did not seek to declare the seats of Amaewhule and 26 others vacant.
“As Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and 3rd defendant in suit No DHC/20/CS/2024, my attention has been drawn to a recent judgment. This suit did not seek to declare the seat of Martins Amaewhule and 26 others in the Rivers State House of Assembly vacant.
“The suit of the claimants was struck out for want of locus standi and jurisdiction and also for being an abuse of court process which robbed the trial court of jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter”, Iboroma declared.
Reports that the status of the lawmakers as members of the PDppublished in the social media and elsewhere had led to jubilant reactions among pro-Wike supporters.
But the celebration in Wike’s camp was however shortlived as more facts emerged and the Rivers Government put out a clear account of what it says transpired in court.
“There is misleading news circulating in social media, print and electronic media” Iboroma, a SAN in the temple of justice stated, “that Martins Amaewhule & 26 others are members of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Rivers State House of Assembly.”
He went on, “As you all know, Martins Amaewhule and 26 others defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress on the 11th Day of December, 2023 and stated that much in affidavit evidence deposed to by Martins Amaewhule for himself and on behalf of 26 others in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1681/CS/2023 before Hon. Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division. The Suit is still pending in court.”
Describing accounts in the media as misleading, the Attorney General remarked, “By section 272(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it is only the Federal High Court that can determine whether Martins Amaewhule and 26 others are still members of Peoples Democratic Party and also members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. This much was held by the trial court.
“However, you will recall that there is a subsisting order of interlocutory injunction in Suit No. PHC/512/CS/2024 restraining Martins Amaewhule and his co-travellers from further parading or presenting themselves as law makers in Rivers State pending the determination of the substantive suit, which has not been appealed against till date.”
Iboroma then urged the public “to disregard the news presently making rounds in social, print and electronic media to the effect that Martins Amaewhule and 26 others have been declared as members of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Rivers State House of Assembly.”
Why was there an attempt to manipulate the outcome of the court decision in order to mislead the public on such a sensitive issue?
Who stands to gain at this time from such a deliberate misrepresentation of facts?
These are questions that many who have seen the reaction of the Attorney General of Rivers State will be asking at the moment.
Nigerians following developments in Rivers State have been shocked by a sudden twist in the way facts relating to the actions of the lawmakers are being handled by defense lawyers.
The lawyers are claiming that the 27 lawmakers who may lose their seats if it is proven that their alleged defection to the APC did not follow the prescriptions of the Constitution are still members of the PDP.
Observers say that it was the open bid of the lawmakers to join the APC which has led to a plethora of cases that are being heard.
“It’s like saying a man whose name is Peter is now Paul”, an analyst who did not what his name in print explained,
“Are they saying what we saw was an illusion? Are they saying the videos we watched, the interviews that were granted, the command to APC lawmakers by the leadership of the party in Rivers State to impeach the Governor were all products of our imagination?
“No wonder people say politicians can do anything. But we will wait to see how all this plays. If there are people who are thinking that they made obvious mistakes, who are thinking that they want to stay in the PDP and retain their seats, they should come out in the open and apologise to Rivers voters.”