Rivers Won’t Recognise Pro-Wike Lawmakers, Fubara Tells N’Assembly Caucus

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has insisted that his administration will not recognise the faction of the state House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule, despite mounting pressure from the Rivers National Assembly Caucus.

The caucus, during a solidarity visit to Amaewhule in Port Harcourt on Monday, urged Fubara to execute the Court of Appeal judgment that affirmed Amaewhule and 26 lawmakers as the only legitimate members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

In a statement signed by Kingsley Chinda (Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency), Senator Barinada Mpigi (Rivers South-East), and Dumnamene Dekor (Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency), the lawmakers expressed dismay over what they called the governor’s “deliberate distortion of facts and court judgments.”

The statement accused Fubara of engaging Senior Advocates, including Femi Falana, to misrepresent judicial rulings.

“We wish to caution Mr. Femi Falana SAN), to stop misinterpreting court judgments. It is regrettable that a very senior lawyer of his status will be amplifying falsehood from non-lawyers and political merchants,” the lawmakers said.

They alleged that Falana lied about the ruling of Justice J.K. Omotosho and the purported defection of the 27 lawmakers, which they claim never happened.

“Falana lied about the dates of the judgment of Justice J.K. Omotosho and the purported defection that never took place, with the intention of misleading the public,” the statement added.

The caucus warned that failing to implement the judgment would amount to contempt of court.

“The judgment of Justice J.K. Omotosho, which was affirmed by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, takes effect immediately and forever. Any attempt to deal with any other person or forum as the Rivers State House of Assembly is contemptuous of the judgment of the Supreme Court,” they said.

They further accused Fubara of interfering in legislative affairs and questioned the legitimacy of his recent appointments.

“All those parading themselves as commissioners, permanent secretaries, and civil servants are impostors, as they have not been screened and confirmed by the Assembly,” Speaker Amaewhule declared.

He also warned that the governor’s handling of state funds would soon come under scrutiny.

“The governor should know that we are not sleeping. We are aware of the hundreds of billions of tax-payers monies that are missing today, that are not accounted for. A day of reckoning will come,” he stated.

However, in a swift reaction, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, dismissed the lawmakers’ claims as misleading.

In a statement titled “Setting the Records Straight on the Situation in Rivers”, Johnson insisted that Amaewhule and his faction ceased to be lawmakers after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress on December 11, 2023.

“The judgment of Justice Omotosho, which was affirmed by the Court of Appeal, does not touch nor alter the status of Martin Amaewhule and his group of 27 as ex-members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State,” Johnson said.

He argued that their defection automatically resulted in the forfeiture of their seats.

“Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule and 26 others lost their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly following their voluntary defection/cross-carpeting, which happened on the floor of the House of Assembly in the full glare of the public on December 11, 2023.”

Johnson further emphasised that Governor Fubara remained law-abiding and had no intention of recognising individuals who no longer hold legislative office.

“The Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, is both law-abiding and peace-loving, and accordingly has great respect for the court of law and the Nigerian judiciary. The Governor swore on May 29, 2023, to defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the rule of law, which includes respect for the courts,” Johnson stated.