Rivers Crisis: NJC asked to probe River high court

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

The National Judicial Council, NJC, has been called upon to immediately begin a probe of the Rivers State High Court, following the judgment that re-instated the sacked lawmakers in the State House of Assembly.

Coalition for Justice and Accountability, (CJA), through its President Comrade Dada Segun Akin, faulted the judgement of the court that ordered the 27 lawmakers to return to the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The Coalition condemns in strong terms the judgment delivered by a Rivers State High Court, which ruled that, the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who move from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, are still members of the PDP and Rivers State House of Assembly.

According to the group, the judgment can only be celebrated by enemies of the judiciary, Rivers State and Nigeria.

Recall that,in December 2023, 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, led by the then Speaker of the Rivers Assembly, Martin Amawhule, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

In line with the constitutional provision that a legislator who defects should vacate his seat,a Rivers State High Court restrained the defected lawmakers from parading as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

With the restraining order, Hon Victor Oko-Jumbo was elected as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

In a judgement delivered by a Rivers State High Court, the judge after striking out the suit based on the preliminary objection went into the merit and held that the defected members are still members of the PDP.

The group said in a statent shortly after the judgent was delivered, “We are shocked that the judge arrive at the conclusion that the defected members were still members of the PDP when the members themselves stated reasons for their defection.

“In the letter of defection submitted by Martins Amaewhule and 25 others on the floor of the Rivers State House of Assembly on December 18th, 2023, the members sited division in the PDP as the reason for their defection.

“Same evidence were placed before the court,and the judge still went ahead to rule that the defected members are still PDP members, and therefore still members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

The coalition said it had revealed and warned of the plot to get favourable judgment and return the Pro-Wike lawmakers to the House last week.

“It is unfortunate that, this sad day for our judiciary is before us.

“We however wish to state that, the judgment is unacceptable and the matter must be pursued by the plaintiffs to a logical conclusion.

“Finally, we call on the National Judicial Commission(NJC) to immediately wade into this issue at the Rivers State High Court, Degema, because the judgment will cause further damage to the already battered image of the judiciary”, the coalition said.