A High Court in Port Harcourt on Monday confirmed that Martin Amaewhule and the other 26 State House of Assembly members who are supporters of former governor Nyesom Wike are still members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), adding a new twist to the political situation in Rivers State.
In December 2023, the 27 legislators declared their allegiance to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Following their departure from the platform on which they were elected, there have been calls for their seats to be declared vacant particularly from the camp of Governor Fubara, who has been fighting for control of the political structure in the state.
Additionally, Fubara had disregarded the parliamentarians and was instead engaging with a three-person assembly under the leadership of Oko Jombo in order to approve his nominations and obtain other required legislative inputs.
On Monday, however, Rivers State High Court Justice Okogbule Gbasam stated that it was not possible to prove that Amaewhule and twenty-six other legislators had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The claimants were unable to provide evidence that Amaewhule and the other 26 MPs’ names are currently on the APC membership list, the judge ruled.
Hycenth Amadi and colleagues filed the lawsuit, naming the Governor of Rivers State, the Attorney General of Rivers State, the House of Assembly of Rivers State, and Martin Chike Amaewhule and twenty-four others as defendants.
The Court ruled that the only recognised documentation of party membership, rather than vocal declarations and/or television ceremonies, was the party’s membership card or register.
Additionally, the Court ruled that the Claimants had not provided sufficient evidence to support their claims that Martin Amaewhule and 24 other people had defected to the APC, citing the insufficiency of newspaper and electronic media publications.
The court decided that the 27 MPs are still PDP members because their names are still on the party’s membership list, which was supplied by the party.
In addition, the judge decided that the actions of the 25 members were legitimate and they never lost their seats.
As a result, it mandated that Governor Fubara abide by every law that the legislature passed.
Recall that Martin Amaewhule-led parliamentarians loyal to Nyesom Wike had previously been recognised as legitimate members of the Rivers House of Assembly by a federal High Court presided by Justice Kolawole Omotosho.
