Rivers: Opposition Lawmakers Disagree With Supreme Court Judgement

• Say Apex Court Didn’t Deliver Judgement On Legality Of Pro-Wike Lawmakers Decampment To APC

Nigeria’s Coalition of Opposition lawmakers has said Governor Siminalayi Fubara would continue to drive the wheel of governance in Rivers State until the case on the legality of the decampment of the sacked PDP lawmakers, which is presently at the Appeal Court, is finally decided.

This was coming after the Supreme Court judgement on Friday, recognised the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly and ordered them to forthwith resume sitting.

The Supreme Court also nullified the local government elections conducted by Governor Fubara noting that it does not follow due process.

The Apex Court, on Friday also reinstated the judgment which earlier barred the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing statutory monthly allocations to Rivers State.

However, the Opposition lawmakers said the voiding of the local govt election would not affect the continuance of governance in the rural area, saying that governance and the welfare of the people are the primary responsibility of govt and that sacred responsibility is not going to stop.

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The spokesperson of the coalition, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere (PDP, Imo), in a statement, disagreed with Supreme Court Judgement, saying the ruling was capable of inflicting injury on the people of Rivers.

Ugochinyere insisted that the Supreme Court did not deliver judgement on the legality of the decampment of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers to All Progressives Congress (APC) as the case was pending at Appeal Court between the pro wike sacked lawmakers and the Action Peoples Party APP.

The lawmaker wondered why the Apex court delivered such a judgement which tantamount to depriving the people of Rivers their political and economic rights – to elect their leaders at the third tier of government and get what is accrued to them from the federation account which they made significant contribution.

The lawmaker described as unfortunate the decision of the Supreme Court on these two appeals, which does not augur well for democracy and federalism, saying the appeal court acted in good faith for the interest of Rivers people who an individual was trying to hold captive.

He said, “It is indeed, surprising that the Supreme Court faulted the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal for vacating the initial order that stopped the release of funds to Rivers State from the consolidated revenue on the pretext that Governor Fubara did not to re-present the 2024 Appropriation Bill of the state before the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led sacked faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“Notwithstanding, Governor Fubara will continue to drive the wheel of governance in Rivers until the case on legality of decampment is decided and the Supreme Court

“For emphasis, the case challenging the illegality of the pro wike decampment is been heard at Appeal Court and we are surprised Supreme Court would confered legitimacy on lawmakers whose decampment is still a subject of litigation. To power-drunk pro-Wike group, the sacked 27 lawmakers stand removed, having desecrated the Constitution and decamped from peaceful PDP to rancorous APC. They should not celebrate, it’s not yet uhuru!”