APC Faces Internal Strife After Appeal Court Restores Pro-Wike Lawmakers

APC Faces Internal Strife After Appeal Court Restores Pro-Wike Lawmakers....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Court of Appeal, Abuja division, overturned a previous ex parte order from the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt, which had barred Martin Amaewhule from serving as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. This decision also nullified the state high court’s injunction preventing 24 lawmakers aligned with former Governor Nyesom Wike from accessing the Assembly premises or performing legislative duties……….. CONTINUE READING

Led by Justice Jimi Olukayode-Bada, a three-man panel ruled in favor of Amaewhule and his colleagues who appealed against Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo and two others. The initial high court ruling sought to declare their seats vacant following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2023 amidst the political rivalry between Wike and current Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The conflict within the Rivers State House of Assembly dates back to 2023, stemming from disagreements between Fubara and Wike. Edison Ehie, aligned with Fubara, briefly served as Speaker before resigning to become Fubara’s Chief of Staff. In May 2024, Oko Jumbo assumed the Speakership amidst legal challenges from the pro-Wike faction.

The pro-Fubara lawmakers secured a court order preventing the 25 pro-Wike legislators from conducting official Assembly business, a move contested by the latter in their successful appeal to the Court of Appeal.

Reacting to the appellate court’s decision, Chief Tony Okocha, Chairman of the Rivers State APC Caretaker Committee and an ally of Wike, welcomed the ruling as a restoration of justice. In contrast, Darlington Nwauju, Publicity Secretary of the APC aligned with Rotimi Amaechi, emphasized that the defection of the lawmakers to APC remains a factual occurrence despite the legal developments.

The ruling has sparked varied reactions within the Rivers APC, with proponents urging adherence to legal processes and suggesting a possible appeal to the Supreme Court for further clarification.

Efforts to obtain reactions from the state government and the PDP leadership were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.

Meanwhile, Prof Abdulkareem Kana, National Legal Adviser of the APC, affirmed the court’s decision, highlighting distinctions between political and legal defections and underscoring procedural compliance required under party and legislative rules.