Rivers State Lawmakers Accused Of Misusing Oaths; Edwin Clark Urges Action

In a statement released Wednesday, Clark urged law enforcement to look into the lawmakers’ conflicting statements, calling the discrepancies “serious” and demanding immediate action.

“Amawhule and his colleagues have, under oath, expressed loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and at other times aligned themselves with different parties,” Clark stated, emphasizing the gravity of such inconsistencies.

Clark further criticized recent court rulings involving the Rivers Assembly, calling them “fraudulent.” He accused Amawhule and others of omitting critical information that affected judgments by Justice James Omotoso and the Court of Appeal.

The controversy stems from a December 11, 2023, defection, where Amawhule and 26 assembly members left the PDP to join the All Progressives Congress (APC). Clark argued this action breached Section 109(1)(g) of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates that lawmakers switching parties without just cause must vacate their seats.

According to Clark, the defecting lawmakers submitted legal documents with contradictory claims about their party affiliation, undermining a January 22, 2024, ruling by Justice Omotoso, who failed to address the constitutional mandate on party defections.

Clark also criticized Justice Okorowo’s decision to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from initiating replacement proceedings for the defected lawmakers. He questioned the timing, as the ruling was issued just before Justice Okorowo’s elevation to the Court of Appeal.

Additionally, Clark expressed disappointment over recent remarks by the Court of Appeal concerning Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, further complicating the ongoing political turmoil in the state.