The National Judicial Council (NJC) has been urgently called upon to investigate a recent judgment by the Rivers State High Court, which reinstated dismissed lawmakers in the State House of Assembly. This request follows a controversial ruling that allowed 27 defecting lawmakers to retain their seats.
The Coalition for Justice and Accountability (CJA), led by its President, Comrade Dada Segun Akin, has criticized the court’s decision. The coalition denounced the ruling, which stated that the 27 members who switched from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) could remain in the Rivers State House of Assembly, despite the constitutional requirement for defecting lawmakers to vacate their seats.
The CJA argues that this judgment violates the constitution and undermines judicial integrity. They believe that only those who oppose the judiciary, Rivers State, and Nigeria could celebrate such a decision.
Background
In December 2023, 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and led by then-Speaker Martin Amawhule, defected from the PDP to the APC. According to the constitutional requirement, defecting legislators must vacate their seats. Consequently, a Rivers State High Court barred these lawmakers from acting as members of the Assembly, leading to the election of Hon Victor Oko-Jumbo as the new Speaker.
However, a recent judgment by a Rivers State High Court judge, after addressing a preliminary objection, ruled that the defected members remain part of the PDP. The CJA expressed surprise at this judgment, highlighting that the defected members themselves had provided reasons for their defection, citing division within the PDP.
In their letter of defection submitted on December 18, 2023, Martin Amaewhule and 25 others stated that internal divisions within the PDP were the reason for their switch to the APC.