Punch News.
The Victor Oko-Jumbo-led Rivers State House of Assembly, aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara, has taken action following a recent court decision. They announced their appeal to the Supreme Court in response to a ruling by the Abuja Appeal Court on Wednesday.
In a statement released in Port Harcourt on Friday by factional House Clerk Dr. G. M. Gillis-West, they expressed disagreement with the Appeal Court's judgment. Specifically, they contest the ruling that the Rivers State High Court did not have jurisdiction over "SUIT NO. PHC/1512/CS/2024".
Oko-Jumbo, asserting his position as Speaker, emphasized that there can only be one functioning House of Assembly in Rivers State. He reinforced this by citing the declared vacancy of seats held by Martin Amaewhule and 24 other former lawmakers, who defected from the People's Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in December 2023.
According to Oko-Jumbo, this declaration by former Speaker Edison Ehie remains uncontested in Nigerian courts.
He clarified that the legitimate members of the House obtained a restraining order against Amaewhule and the others who continued to identify as members despite their defection and the vacancy of their seats.
Dissatisfied with the High Court's rulings, Amaewhule and his group had already filed an appeal (Appeal No. CA/PH/198/2024) at the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt.
Oko-Jumbo criticized the Court of Appeal's decision, highlighting that while it acknowledged the lack of jurisdiction by the High Court in the specific suit, it did not address the core issues of the defection or the status of the seats.
He reiterated their belief that the Appeal Court's judgment was erroneous in dismissing the High Court's jurisdiction.
In summary, the faction led by Oko-Jumbo is actively challenging the legal interpretations that have impacted the composition and decisions of the Rivers State House of Assembly, aiming to assert their legitimacy and operational authority.