Federal Lawmakers Dismiss Pro-Wike Rivers Legislators’ Denial of Defection as Futile
The ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State has taken a new turn as the Opposition Lawmakers Coalition in the National Assembly strongly criticized the persistent denial of defection by the sacked former Rivers State House of Assembly members. The group, led by former Speaker Martin Amaewhule and loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has been accused of attempting to manipulate legal rulings to reclaim their lost legislative seats.
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In a statement issued by Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, the opposition lawmakers dismissed the former legislators’ denial of their decampment as a “futile and misleading effort” allegedly backed by federal resources. The controversy stems from the defection of 27 lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2023. Following their defection, the Rivers State High Court ruled in May 2024 that they could no longer function as members of the state legislature.
“Denials and Misinterpretations Won’t Restore Legitimacy”
The statement from the coalition accused the pro-Wike lawmakers of deliberately misinterpreting judicial rulings to create political instability in Rivers State.
“The continuous denial by the sacked former lawmakers, led by Martins Amaewhule, is nothing but a backdoor attempt to destabilize governance in Rivers State,” the statement read. “The misrepresentation of the Supreme Court’s ruling, following Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s withdrawal of his appeal regarding the already-spent 2024 budget, does not restore legitimacy to the former lawmakers.”
The lawmakers emphasized that the 27 defectors publicly declared their move to the APC and even provided sworn affidavits in a lawsuit (FHC/ABJ/1681/CS/2023) acknowledging their defection. In line with constitutional provisions, they lost their seats upon switching parties. The Rivers State High Court further affirmed this, barring them from identifying as members of the state legislature.
“Political Gimmicks and Misleading Court Interpretations”
The opposition lawmakers alleged that resources from the FCT are being used to fuel efforts aimed at undermining legitimate court decisions. “Since their expulsion, these individuals have resorted to endless gimmicks and deceptive interpretations of court judgments in an attempt to illegally reinstate themselves. However, the law is clear—once they defected to APC, they ceased to be PDP members and lawmakers,” the statement asserted.
Furthermore, the coalition stated that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has remained committed to peace, but the pro-Wike group continues to seek ways to disrupt governance. “The claim that any Appeal Court ruling validated their defection is false. The President had intervened to encourage legal withdrawals for peace to reign, yet the Wike faction continued their legal battle in defiance of this agreement.”
“Supreme Court Ruling Misrepresented”
The coalition also accused the pro-Wike lawmakers of distorting the Supreme Court ruling regarding the Rivers State 2024 budget. “The Supreme Court’s recent decision was solely based on the governor’s voluntary withdrawal of the appeal. With the 2024 budget already exhausted and the 2025 appropriation in effect, the case was no longer relevant,” the lawmakers clarified.
They further reaffirmed that the legitimate Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly remains Hon. Oko Jumbo. “The pro-Wike group, led by Amaewhule, remains legally removed from office. Their continued defiance of the rule of law serves no purpose other than fueling unnecessary political tension.”
As the crisis lingers, political analysts argue that the fate of the 27 sacked lawmakers is sealed unless fresh elections are conducted to fill their vacant seats. Meanwhile, the Rivers State government insists that governance will not be held hostage by political theatrics and judicial manipulations.
The coming weeks will reveal whether the pro-Wike lawmakers will accept their fate or continue their legal and political maneuvers. However, legal experts maintain that their chances of returning to the Rivers State House of Assembly remain slim under existing constitutional provisions.
Reference
Federal Lawmakers Dismiss Pro-Wike Rivers Legislators’ Denial of Defection as Futile