By Mark Lenu
The Civil Society Organisation in Rivers State has urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara to stop forthwith, the salaries of the state lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
The Chairman of CSO in the state, Comrade Ene-faa Georgewill said the call became necessary because Martin Amaewhule and his co lawmakers are no longer legitimate legislators of the state Assembly.
Recently, a state High Court sitting in Port Harcourt granted an interim injunction restraining the pro-Wike Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 24 other lawmakers from parading themselves as legislators.
Justice Charles Wali, who gave the order in suit number PHC/1512/CS/2024, also ordered the 25 defendants from “meeting/sitting at the auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters located at off Aba Road, Port Harcourt, or any other place whatsoever to purport to carry out the legislative business of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Speaking with our correspondent, Georgewill said: “We totally agree with the governor on this particular issue and we want to go further by asking the governor to stop the salaries and other entitlements of the defected legislators.
“We say this because section 109 of the 1999 constitution as amended is crystal clear and does not need a lawyer to interpret. It states that once a lawmaker leaves the political party that sponsored him into parliament when there is no faction at the national leadership level of his party, automatically he loses his seat.
“The Supreme Court had given interpretation to what it means to be factionalized at the national leadership level of a political party. The apex court said the factionalization should be such that the party is unable to function.
“We welcome the fact that the governor has realized himself to now follow the law and justice by publicly derecognizing the Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission has also said it is waiting for the final court judgment on whether to conduct an election for the seats of the defected lawmakers or not.
