Rivers Court declares vacant seats of 25 lawmakers for defecting to APC
Story from Usman UMAR
The Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has ruled that the seats of the 25 lawmakers who switched from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress are now vacant until the court reaches a decision in the ongoing case.
Additionally, the court has instructed Rt. Honourable Martin Amaewhule to cease acting as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and has prohibited the 24 lawmakers, including those loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, from assuming their roles as lawmakers in the state.
The ruling was made by Honourable Justice Charles Wali in response to a lawsuit filed by Rt. Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari, and Hon. Orubienimigha Adolphus Timothy regarding the conflicts within the state’s legislative branch.
The defendants in the case include various lawmakers and government officials, such as Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, Hon. Dumle Maol, Hon. Major Jack, and others. Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Chief Judge of Rivers State, Simeon Amadi, are also named as defendants in the lawsuit.
In his order, Wali instructed the lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, to refrain from acting as lawmakers until the final decision is made in the case.
Read also:PDP insists on declaring 26 seats of defected Rivers State lawmakers vacant
The court has set a date for the next hearing on July 1, 2024, and has imposed restrictions on the lawmakers’ activities in the interim.
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