• Amaewhule: We met constitutional requirements to defect to APC
• Don’t pull the ladder you use in climbing, Wike warns
• Purported court order against sack of 27 lawmakers goes viral
• CUPP raises alarm on alleged plans to legalise defection, impeach Fubara
• Moves to reconcile Fubara, Wike still on, PDP insists
Despite waning local support and rising legal opinions criticising their defection last week, Martin Amaewhule, the factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and leader of the 26 suspended lawmakers, has vowed to reclaim the state from Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Noting that the lawmakers will remain resolute because they have the mandate of Rivers people to be in the House, he insisted that their defection from the People Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) was due to the crisis in PDP, just as they vowed to continue sitting despite pundits’ view to the contrary.
Amaewhule disclosed this, yesterday, while addressing state delegates at the APC dedication service and stakeholders meeting held at the Port Harcourt Polo Club, stating further that they abandoned PDP for APC also because of the leadership style of President Bola Tinubu. He claimed that the defected members followed due process and acted on section 109 subsection 1 of the 1999 Constitution.
“We made sure that we followed due process, and that we did not do anything outside the provisions of the said Constitution. It has given room for people to defect, which is in section 109 subsection 1(g), which allows serving legislators, who want to defect, to do so. There is a division in PDP. So, in line with that section, we defected to the APC,” he said.
Amaewhule regretted that despite the burning and consequent demolition of the Assembly Complex, PDP never said anything nor condemned the actions of the governor.
“We heard that some four persons, a Committee of Friends, are meeting somewhere. But the House of Assembly has defined that the only way you can convene the House is to have a quorum. And a quorum is 11 and if it is not up to 11, anything that they do is a social club. So, whatever they are doing in the name of the Assembly is null and void.”
He, however, hinted that there are plots to attack the Assembly Quarters on Monday, insisting that no matter the attack, the lawmakers will be resolute.
APC National Legal Adviser, Prof. Abdulkarim Kana, handed brooms to the defectors to officially welcome them to the party.
AMID the political crisis rocking Rivers, which saw nine Commissioners resign from Fubara’s cabinet last week, ex-governor Nyesom Wike has warned politicians not to pull the ladder they used in getting to exalted positions.
Earlier at the weekend, Boma Goodhead, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Akuku/Asari Toru Federal Constituency and other protesters had dared Wike to step into Rivers.
However, Wike landed in Rivers in the company of Senator Barry Mpigi, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, Minister of State, Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, Rivers Assembly members, and some local government area chairmen on Saturday.
Speaking yesterday at his residence in Port Harcourt, while addressing the traditional ruler of Ogbaland, who had come to felicitate with him on the occasion of his birthday, Wike said: “Don’t pull the ladder that you use in climbing. When you are coming down, the ladder may not be there. Leave the ladder too so that other people can also climb the ladder.”
The chiefs and other members of the traditional institution from Ogbaland in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state were led by the traditional ruler, Nwachukwu Nnam-Obi III, who sued for peace in the state.
In his response, Wike assured the monarch that he would listen to their advice and that he is welcome to peaceful resolutions. Speaking further, the minister debunked claims that the political imbroglio is an ethnic war, insisting that there is no such consideration.
“We didn’t vote based on ethnicity but for the unity of Rivers. We shall never be part of violence but will always support peace. “There are rules within the political group you emerge from. You cannot say that because an Oba has emerged and then an Oba will not follow the rules of the traditional institution. No! An Oba will always obey the rules. So also in politics, there are things you must not do and there are things you must do.”
MEANWHILE, an order purportedly issued by a Federal High Court halting the removal of 27 lawmakers in Rivers over their defection, has gone viral on social media. The purported ruling, which according to the court document would have been issued on Monday (today), suddenly surfaced on social media yesterday.
A copy of the ruling, allegedly by Justice Donatus Okorowo, in granting an ex parte order restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Rivers House of Assembly, the Clerk of Rivers House of Assembly, the Inspector General (IG) of Police and the Department of State Service (DSS), from taking any steps to remove the 27 lawmakers from office over their defection.
The purported ruling in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023, is dated December 18, although not signed by the judge. Besides, the purported ruling did not state who filed the suit or moved the ex parte application on behalf of the plaintiffs/applicants. The judge subsequently fixed January 17, 2024, for hearing.
Similarly, opposition political parties under the aegis of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), yesterday alleged that there are plans to validate the defection of 25 lawmakers, claiming that the plot was to pave the way for the impeachment of Fubara.
CUPP made the allegations at a news conference addressed by its National Secretary, Mr Peter Ameh, in Abuja yesterday. The group claimed that it had intercepted credible intelligence and a draft ruling that was purportedly written by a judge.
Ameh further alleged that the purported draft verdict was currently in circulation on the web and would be delivered on Monday or within the week in a secret application filed in court after the close of business between Thursday and Friday last week. He said the suit was meant to declare the defecting members of the Rivers Assembly as bonafide lawmakers.
CUPP threatened to drag any judge who delivered such a judgment to the National Judicial Council (NJC). It also asked heads of security agencies to steer clear of the political crisis and ensure that the institutions of government, especially the Rivers State Government, is protected.
“It is arguably surprising, how they were able to file the suit, follow through the process of registration and assignment of the suit within 24 hours. Now, it is before the judge scheduled to assume jurisdiction as vacation judge on Monday, December 18, who by the way also without any form of hearing, whether in open court or in chambers has drafted a ruling to be delivered on the same Monday.
“We are also not unaware that the whole agenda is to ensure that Governor Fubara is removed from office within the next 10 days via a kangaroo ruling. They will say if he is dissatisfied, let him go to court, a slogan which some state actors have adopted to back their nefarious illegality and oppression of the rule of law.
“We are saying that this will mark the end of Nigeria’s democracy if we cross that line because Nigerians are not fools. No one perpetrates illegality and thinks he can get away with it,” Ameh added.
HOWEVER, PDP says it has taken steps to reconcile Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, expressing confidence in restoring harmony for the sake of the people. The party further said it is working behind the scenes to ensure amity returns between the two party members, emphasizing its commitment to the success of the reconciliation process.
Despite rumours of Wike possibly leaving the PDP for APC following the movement of his loyalists to the ruling party, PDP said it is not ruling out reaching out to him to end the feud.
Acknowledging the enduring support of the people of state for the PDP, the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, assured that the political crisis is within the opposition party’s capacity to resolve.
He stated: “Rivers people have supported us over the years. What is required is peace and tranquility so that they can begin to enjoy the benefits of the dividends of democracy.”
Regarding the possibility of reconciling Fubara and his former mentor, Ologunagba dismissed the assumption that it would be a failure. He emphasized the party’s commitment to resolving conflicts and cited the ongoing efforts in Rivers as part of the democratic process.
While declining to disclose whether the PDP has already reached out to Wike, Ologunagba emphasized the party’s internal processes and progress being made, reiterating the goal of reconciling all stakeholders for the benefit of the people.
He highlighted the PDP’s organisational capabilities, noting the activation of party organs such as the PDP Governors Forum, the National Working Committee (NWC), members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), and the Board of Trustees (BoT).
Ologunagba stressed the need for opposition unity to counter the alleged excesses of the ruling APC, particularly accusing them of introducing totalitarianism into the country. He cited the recent appointment of alleged APC members to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a reason for a robust opposition to safeguard the interests of the Nigerian people.
The Guardian
