·Lawyer petitions NJC
·APC leaders trade words
A storm is brewing in Rivers State following a contentious ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja that reinstated 27 lawmakers who had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The ruling has further deepened the differences between the caretaker committee chairman of Chief Tony Okocha-led faction of the APC and that of Chief Emeka Beke.
The crisis began when a state High Court in Port Harcourt in the case brought before it by the Action Peoples Party, APP, initially restrained 25 Assembly members who had defected from the PDP to the APC from acting as lawmakers. However, the Appeal Court's recent ruling has overturned this decision, sparking outrage among certain groups.
Reacting to the ruling, constitutional lawyer, Barr. Tochukwu Oha, criticized the decision, arguing that the lawmakers' defection warrants vacancy declarations, citing established legal precedents.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja, Oha emphasized the need for the NJC to intervene.
He said, "I'm bewildered at this joke of a ruling by the Federal High Court. I'm in total disbelief that the court went against the law and introduced a new interpretation of the Constitution.
"What the court did, going against the law is shameful. If it's not overturned by the appellate or Supreme Court, then the nation is in trouble.
"It's time that the NJC sits up and purges the judiciary of any recklessness and rascality by some of its officers bent on continuously disparaging the integrity of the judiciary."
Also reacting, Emeka Beke in a press statement maintained that "it is obvious, evident, and on records that in several fora, the said Martin Amaewhule and others publicly defected from the PDP to the APC and were hosted to a reception ceremony by the said "Tony Okocha who claimed to be the then caretaker chairman of APC in Rivers State.
"Therefore, they cannot make a U-turn at midnight and yet be celebrated by the same Tony Okocha, who they are now denying. What a shame".
Beke declared that all the judgments referred to by the Okocha faction of the APC have not been dealt with on the merit of the defection and the declaration of their seats vacant by the then Speaker, Hon. Edison Ehie.
On his part, Okocha in a statement, said: "You hear that they (lawmakers) flaunted APC flag and honoured my invitation to be guests to the APC organized Thanksgiving at the polo club. If they were wise and knowledgeable, they would have stumbled on the word 'gimmick'.
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According to him, "Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule is the incontrovertible Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The other 26 House members are untouchable."
Meanwhile, the Action Peoples Party, APP, has said it would appeal the judgement that dismissed its suit challenging the defection of the 27 state lawmakers.
APP maintained that the seats of the 27 embattled lawmakers remained vacant, as declared by the then Speaker, Edison Ehie.
However, the Legal Adviser of APP, Henry Ekine, added that Justice Lifu's judgement does not in any way change the status of the lawmakers.
Ekine said the party is reviewing the judgement in preparation to file an appeal, pointing out that rather than looking at the merit of the suit, the judge threw it away on technical grounds.
