According to legal expert Festus Ogwuche, the 25 defections from the Rivers State House of Assembly, spearheaded by Amaewhule, are irretrievable and cannot return to their prior roles. Ogwuche stressed in an interview with Arise News that parliamentarians' voluntary vacation of their positions—i.e., their permanent relinquishment of their seats—is recognised by the Constitution.
"The status quo as it is currently does not state that the 25 members of the Rivers House of Assembly led by Amaewhule can go back to their seats or revert to their position. No, the status quo as it is, is that they've moved on, they've defected, they've jumped ship and the constitution recognizes that fact," Ogwuche stated.
He further stressed that the three remaining members cannot constitute a quorum to form the House of Assembly. "Once that issue happens to the effect that a Legislator has vacated his position, he has gone, he has gone. Particularly if it's voluntarily. So the status quo is that those members have not been restored, the three members cannot constitute themselves as House of Assembly as far as I'm concerned," Ogwuche added.
Click here and start watch the interview from the 13:21 mark.