Factional Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Victor Oko-Jumbo says he remains the authentic Speaker of the legislative arm of the State Government.
He insisted that no declaration of the courts including Wednesday’s judgment of the Court of Appeal has nullified the pronouncement made by the immediate past Speaker of the House, Ehie Edison on December 13, 2023 declaring vacant the seats of Martin Amaewhile and 24 other members who had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
Addressing the House at Friday’s plenary, Oko-Jumbo says Wednesday’s Judgment of the Court of Appeal did not make any declaration that Martins Amaewhule and 24 other lawmakers did not defect from the PDP to the APC and neither did the court declare that that they are still members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
It all started on 11th of December, 2023, when Martin Amaewhule and over twenty other lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
Following their action, Ehie Edision, who had assumed the position of Speaker of the House on the 13th of December, 2023, declared their seats vacant.
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And when Amaewhule and 24 others lawmakers despite their defection continued to parade themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, a suit was filed at the Rivers State High Court where the court made orders restraining Martin Amaewhule and his co-travellers.
Dissatisfied with the ruling of the Rivers State High Court, Amaewhule and 24 others filed an appeal at the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal, in its lead judgment delivered on Wednesday 5th of July 2024 allowed the appeal by Martins Amaewhule and 24 others on the grounds that the Rivers State High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine the case.
The court then struck out the suit, Victor Oko-Jumbo says they are heading to the Supreme Court to appeal the judgment.
He says he remains the authentic speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly adding that nothing has changed.
Oko-Jumbo, therefore, wants the Independent National Electoral Commission to immediately commence the process of filling the vacant seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The Victor Oko-Jumbo led Rivers State House of Assembly also on Friday passed two bills for second reading.
They are the Rivers State Transport Reform Bill of 2024 and the Rivers State Emergency Management Agency Bill of 2024.
(Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie)
