Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has firmly rejected calls to recognize the faction of the State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule, despite mounting pressure from members of the Rivers National Assembly Caucus.
In a visit to Amaewhule’s camp in Port Harcourt on Monday, the caucus, which included Kingsley Chinda, Senator Barinada Mpigi, and Dumnamene Dekor, expressed disappointment over what they described as Governor Fubara’s “deliberate distortion of facts and court judgments.”
The lawmakers were referring to the Court of Appeal judgment that affirmed Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers as legitimate members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. They accused Fubara of enlisting Senior Advocates, including Femi Falana, to misrepresent judicial rulings.
The statement accused Falana of intentionally misleading the public regarding the ruling of Justice J.K. Omotosho, claiming he lied about the judgment and the alleged defection of the lawmakers. The caucus emphasized that failure to implement the judgment would be contemptuous of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
They also condemned the governor’s alleged interference in legislative affairs, stating that the appointments of commissioners, permanent secretaries, and civil servants made by Fubara were invalid. According to Amaewhule, these appointees have not been properly screened or confirmed by the state legislature.
Further, the caucus warned that Governor Fubara’s handling of state funds would be scrutinized, with Amaewhule indicating that public funds “missing” could soon be investigated.
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Responding swiftly, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, rejected the claims made by the lawmakers. He emphasized that the judgment from Justice Omotosho did not affect the status of Amaewhule and his faction, insisting their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 11, 2023, automatically caused them to forfeit their seats.
Johnson reiterated that Governor Fubara remains committed to upholding the law and has no intention of recognizing individuals who have vacated their legislative offices.
“Governor Fubara is law-abiding and respects the judiciary. His administration remains dedicated to upholding the Constitution and the rule of law,” Johnson affirmed.
