The Coalition for Justice and Accountability (CJA) has strongly criticized a recent judgment by the Rivers State High Court reinstating 27 lawmakers who had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The CJA, through its President, Dada Segun Akin, expressed dissatisfaction with the court’s decision and called for an immediate probe by the National Judicial Council (NJC) into the conduct of the Rivers State High Court.
The controversy stems from the defection of the lawmakers led by then-Speaker Martin Amawhule, who left the PDP for the APC. Following their defection, a Rivers State High Court initially restrained them from functioning as members of the State House of Assembly following constitutional provisions regarding defection.
However, a subsequent judgment by the same court reversed this decision, ruling that the defected lawmakers were still members of the PDP and thus, remained part of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The CJA criticized this ruling, highlighting that the lawmakers themselves cited division within the PDP as the reason for their defection, and argued that the judgment contradicted the evidence presented.
The coalition raised concerns about the integrity of the judiciary and warned of the potential damage the judgment could inflict on its reputation. They urged the plaintiffs to pursue the matter further and called on the NJC to intervene promptly to address the issue.
In essence, the CJA is contesting the legitimacy of the judgment and demanding accountability within the judiciary to uphold the rule of law and ensure fair and just outcomes.
The Nationwide Judicial Council (NJC) has been known as upon to instantly start a probe of the Rivers State Excessive Courtroom, following the judgment that re-instated the sacked lawmakers within the State Home of Meeting.
The Coalition condemns in sturdy phrases the judgment delivered by a Rivers State Excessive Courtroom, which dominated that the 27 members of the Rivers State Home of Meeting who moved from the Peoples Democratic Together (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) are nonetheless members of the PDP and Rivers State Home of Meeting.
How River’s political disaster began
Recall that, in December 2023, 27 members of the Rivers State Home of Meeting loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, led by the then Speaker of the Rivers Meeting, Martin Amawhule, defected from the Peoples Democratic Get together, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
According to the constitutional provision {that a} legislator who defects ought to vacate his seat, a Rivers State Excessive Courtroom restrained the defected lawmakers from parading as members of the Rivers State Home of Meeting.
Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo was elected Speaker of the Rivers State Home of Meeting with the restraining order.
In a judgment delivered by a Rivers State Excessive Courtroom, after hanging out the swimsuit primarily based on the preliminary objection, the choice went into the deserves and held that the defected members are nonetheless members of the PDP.
