Chidi Lloyd, a former Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area (LGA) in Rivers State, has voiced his opinion on the recent Appeal Court judgement regarding the Rivers State House of Assembly crisis.
Speaking in an interview on TVC News, he explained that Justice Wale of the State High Court had issued an order preventing Martins Amaewhule and others from presenting themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Lloyd indicated that this judicial order resulted in the appointment of Pro Governor Siminalayi Fubara's Lawmakers speaker, Oko Jumbo, who assumed the role of speaker after Edison Ehie transitioned to the position of Chief of Staff.
Lloyd criticised the prevailing tendency among some individuals to disseminate misleading commentaries, often skewed to align with their personal biases, about the ongoing crisis in Rivers State.
He expressed concern that many people, despite holding law degrees, lack a true understanding of the legal intricacies involved in the situation.
According to Lloyd, the intervention by Justice Wale was a critical turning point in the assembly crisis.
He said that the judge's order essentially barred certain members, including Martins Amaewhule, from participating as legitimate members of the assembly.
This legal move, he noted, paved the way for Oko Jumbo's emergence as the speaker, a decision that was seen as a necessary step to ensure the functionality of the legislative body following Edison Ehie's new appointment as Chief of Staff.
Lloyd pointed out that the shift in the assembly's leadership was met with varying interpretations, often influenced by the commentators' personal affiliations and preferences.
He lamented that this has led to a proliferation of biassed narratives that do not necessarily reflect the true legal situation or the complexities of the crisis.
In a sarcastic tone, Lloyd remarked on the proliferation of law degrees in Rivers State, suggesting that while many individuals hold these qualifications, only a few practice law with a deep and accurate understanding of its principles.
Lloyd said, "Justice Wale of the State High Court gave an order that stopped Martins Amaewhule and others from parading themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
"Justice Wale order gave rise to the appointment of Oko Jumbo, who masqueraded as speaker. But you see, the law is not emotional, and it does not see through the emotions of people.
"The law sees through its own eyes. And for those who say that the Court of Appeal just said that the Local Court has no jurisdiction, it is a vacuous claim."
Watch the interview video here (start from 6:02).