Appeal Court Delivers Verdict On Removal of Pro-Wike Lawmakers in Rivers Assembly

• An Appeal Court in Port Harcourt has delivered its judgement on the removal of Rivers lawmakers loyal to the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike
• The appellate court refused to reverse the removal of Martin Amaewhule and 26 others as members of the Rivers state house of assembly
• The court ordered that the Appellants must maintain the present status quo pending the hearing of the appeal

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 5 years of experience covering metro and government policy

Port Harcourt, Rivers state -A Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, has refused to reverse the removal of Martin Amaewhule and 26 others as members of the Rivers state house of assembly for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2023.

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Group reacts as appeal court refuses to reverse removal of Amaewhule, 26 Rivers assembly members

Amaewhule has filed a case on behalf of twenty-five others, challenging an order of injunction granted by the Rivers state high court, restraining them from parading themselves as lawmakers and that their acclaimed defection was invalid.

As reported by TVC News, the appellate court gave the verdict on Friday, June 14.

According to SaharaReporters, the court deemed the Appellants’ Brief of Argument as filed, accelerated hearing and a stay of further proceedings at the High Court.

The court also refused to grant the Appellants’ prayer for stay of execution and the setting aside of the interim order of the State High Court, stating that granting the prayer would amount to determining the appeal at this stage.

The judge therefore ordered that the Appellants must maintain the present status quo pending the hearing of the appeal.

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The court ordered that the Respondents are to file their briefs within 72 hours of being served and adjourned the hearing of the appeal to Thursday, June 20.

Governor Fubara Denies Court Judgment

Legit.ng earlier reported that Rivers state governor Siminalayi Fubara-led government rejected the ruling of the state high court, saying Speaker Amaewhule and 27 others are members of the PDP.

Dagogo Israel Iboroma, the Rivers state commissioner for justice and attorney general, said the court only dismissed the case for lack of locus standi.

However, the court earlier ruled that the state government could not present evidence that the lawmakers left the PDP for the APC, as claimed in the suit.

Source: Legit.ng