The Rivers State Government has dismissed claims that the Supreme Court has reinstated Martin Chike Amaewhule and 26 others as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Israel Iboroma, made this clarification while addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt on Monday night.
Iboroma said “the Supreme Court made no order whatsoever reinstating Martin Chike Amaewhule and 26 others as members of Rivers State House of Assembly, neither did the Supreme Court make any finding on their status as members of Rivers State House of Assembly.”
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He called on members of the public to “ignore the false narrative and propaganda being spread by Martin Chike Amaewhule and his lawyers on what transpired in the Supreme Court on Monday.”
Giving details of what happened at the Apex Court, he said, “I was in court today (Monday), and witnessed all that transpired in SC/CV/1701/2024, Governor of Rivers State V Rivers State House of Assembly and 15 others.
“Regrettably, after the court’s proceedings today, there has been serial misrepresentation in social and electronic media grossly misrepresenting what transpired in court. It is important to trace the facts leading to SC/CV/1701/2024.
“The Government would have ignored the false narrative being spread by Amaewhule, his committee of friends and their lawyers, but had to put the record straight so as to correct the wrong impression and negative propaganda deliberately being fed to unsuspecting members of the public on the matter and the actions of the Apex Court.
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“On the 29th day of November, 2023, Martin Chike Amaewhule & Anor instituted Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, wherein in their originating summons, they prayed for 11 reliefs.”
Iboroma further explained that “On the 11th day of December, 2023, while Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023 was pending at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Martin Chike Amaewhule & 26 others defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, and automatically lost their seats as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“In Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, the defection of Martin Amaewhule and 26 others was not an issue. Thus, it was not a question for determination. It was also not an issue for determination in the resultant appeals.
“Furthermore, before judgment was delivered in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, Martin Chike Amaewhule and 26 others did not inform the court that they had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.”
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According to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, “Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, amongst others, were principally about the Appropriation Law 2024, (a.k.a 2024 budget).”
He then explained the reason for the State Governor’s withdrawal of the appeal at the Supreme Court, saying, “We are in the year 2025 with a 2025 Appropriation Bill already passed and signed into law and in operation.
“The Appropriation Law 2024 is now totally spent and cannot be brought back into operation. The monies in the Appropriation Law 2024, having been spent, cannot be recalled and spent again.
“The Appropriation Law 2024 being spent by reason of its expiration, SC/CV/1701/2024 became merely academic and of no utilitarian value.”
He added that, “The appellant, in keeping with the time-honoured practice of not wasting precious judicial time, filed a notice of withdrawal of his appeal and freely urged the Honourable Court to dismiss his appeal. Accordingly, the Honourable Court granted the prayer sought and dismissed the appeal. This is all that transpired.”
Iboroma emphasised that, “The Supreme Court made no order whatsoever reinstating Martin Chike Amaewhule and 26 others as members of Rivers State House of Assembly, neither did the Supreme Court make any finding on their status as members of Rivers State House of Assembly.
“We call on members of the public to ignore the false narrative and propaganda being spread by Martin Chike Amaewhule and his lawyers on what transpired in the Supreme Court today (Monday)”, he added.
