Former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has said that the 27 stranded Rivers lawmakers have ceased to be State Assembly members.
Eze claimed that the crisis rocking Rivers State over the leadership of the House of Assembly has continued due some forces using the judiciary to show power and might.
He shared his grievances in a statement on Friday.
OsunDailyNG reports that a Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, had on Thursday, dismissed an appeal by Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, challenging the judgment of Justice James Omotosho, which nullified the 2024 Rivers State Budget passed by the pro-Fubara lawmakers following the decamping of 27 PDP lawmakers.
The court also set aside the presentation and passage of the budget, just as it ordered Governor Fubara to re-present the budget to the House of Assembly under Amaewhule and the decamped PDP lawmakers who had defected to the APC.
Reacting, Eze argued that the court did not adjudicate on the legitimacy of the decamped 27 lawmakers.
“I make bold to state in the strongest term that the appellate court did not adjudicate on the legitimacy or otherwise of the defection of the embattled lawmakers. In this regard, the fact remains that Martins AMAEWHULE and his co-Travellers have ceased to be Lawmakers and Fubara will not grant them any legality by representing any Budget before them.
“So those celebrating should go ahead to celebrate on an issue that was dead on arrival as the plot to plunge Rivers State into darkness will not be accomplished,” Eze explained.
While advising the Rivers State Government to appeal against the judgement of the appellate court, Eze equally “appealed to the Judiciary to be circumspect of deft moves by self serving politicians to drag the judiciary into the mud.
“I urge the courts to ensure they deliver sound and time tested judgments devoid of technicalities, as well as stop every plot that will derail and expose the country’s fledgling democracy to public opprobrium.
“Governor Fubara must stand firm and not yield to intimidation, betrayal or judicial harassment from Wike and his adversaries
“There will be daring consequences if Rivers people and Nigerians in general fail at this period to wrestle Rivers State from the firm grip of Wike.
“Let me state without mincing words that President Bola Tinubu is duty bound to ensure that Rivers State is not allowed to be destabilized due one man’s dictatorial tendencies.
“By withdrawing his counter affidavits and processes filed in the suit, Governor Fubara did not make any mistake in obeying the directive of President Tinubu.
“Or is President Tinubu’s directive mischievous and deceptive as Fubara’s withdrawal of court processes earlier filed, formed the basis upon which the appellate panel dismissed the suit?
“The plot to set Rivers State on fire or attempt to impeach the Governor will be resisted”, he added.
