Defection of 27 lawmakers: Court orders Rivers Assembly to maintain status quo

An Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt has directed all parties involved in the appeal filed by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, to maintain status quo pending the hearing of the substantive suit.

The 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, led by Martins Amaewhule, had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

They had gone to the court to stop moves to declare their seats vacant.
The three-man panel of the appeal court, which sat virtually on Friday, adjourned the hearing of the substantive matter to June 20, 2024.

The appeal panel advised the parties against taking any actions that would affect the main matter and further directed that the notice of appeal should be served on the defendants before the next adjourned date.

Amaewhule, on behalf of twenty-six others, is challenging the decision of the Rivers State High Court, which vacated their seats and restrained them from sitting or carrying out any legislative functions.

The state High Court had also affirmed Victor Oko-Jumbo as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and held that all the laws made by Amaewhule and 26 others are null and void.

Oko-Jumbo argued that the 27 defected lawmakers have lost their seats at the State Assembly, following their defection.

His argument is hinged on Section 109 (1) (g) of the Nigerian Constitution.