Rivers Governor Siminialayi Fubara has instructed his legal team to file an appeal against the decision made by the Appeal Court, as well as to request a stay of execution on that ruling.
It was gathered that the Governor emphasized that the ruling made by the Appeal Court on Thursday in Abuja did not restore the Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule.
In a statement made by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Israel Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, on Thursday in Port Harcourt, the Governor claimed that Amaewhule and 26 others switched parties on December 11, 2023.
“Today, the 10th day of October 2024, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division dismissed Appeal No. CA/ABJ/133/CS/2024 filed by His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division in suit No. FHC/ABJ/133/CS/2023 delivered on the 22nd day of January, 2024.
“On the 30th day of October, 2023, after the failed attempt to impeach His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, the Rivers State House of Assembly became polarized into two factions. The faction led by Martin Amaewhule proceeded to the Federal High Court, Abuja Division and filed Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1613/CS/2023, on the 29th day of November, 2023.
“Subsequently, on the 11th day of December, 2023, Martin Amaewhule and others defected from the Peoples Democratic Party that sponsored their election in the 2023 Legislative Assembly Election, to the All Progressives Congress.
“By operation of Law, particularly Section 109(i) (g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), Martin Amaewhule and 26 others automatically lost their seats as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly on the 11th day of December, 2023, as Section 109(1)(g) is self executory as no court order is required thereof.
“His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State on the 13th day of December, 2023, presented the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, who was recognized as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly at the time. The Appropriation Bill was later passed into Law and became the Appropriation Law of 2024. An Appropriation Law is a state law within the purview of the High Court of Rivers State,”the statement in part.