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The Court of Appeal has nullified the expulsion of Rivers House of Assembly lawmakers loyal to the immediate past governor of the State and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
It ruled that the Lower Court lacked jurisdiction and declared the Ex parte order null and void.
The lawmakers had defected to the All Progressive Congress, APC, from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the wake of the political impasse involving Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The Court of Appeal, sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital in June reserved judgment in the suit on the ongoing Rivers State House of Assembly crisis.
It gave the ruling after hearing the arguments of the parties during the proceedings conducted via Zoom on Thursday, June 20.
The appeal, filed by Martin Amaewhule, factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and 24 others, aimed to overturn a High Court order in Port Harcourt, the state capital. This order had barred them from presenting themselves as lawmakers.
Judge Charles Wali of the High Court in late May issued an injunction preventing lawmakers in Amaewhule’s faction from holding legislative sessions anywhere, including within the legislative quarters.
Wali further restrained Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara from engaging with or accepting resolutions and bills from the 25 lawmakers.
The lawsuit was initiated by Victor Oko Jumbo, a factional Speaker, along with two other lawmakers, Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Adolphus Timothy, who are loyal to Fubara.
The court also ruled that all legislation enacted by Amaewhule and his colleagues would be considered invalid until the matter was resolved.
Appellants had requested the court to overturn the lower court’s ruling and invalidate the decisions made by Jumbo’s faction.
On June 14, the appellate court issued an order directing the parties involved in the assembly crisis to maintain the status quo.
Since 2023, the Rivers State Assembly has been divided following the rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is the Minister of the FCT.