Tag: Martin Amaewhule

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Why I dumped PDP for APC – Rivers Assembly Speaker

The Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule, on Friday defended his decision to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The major reason for leaving the PDP is because of the division in the PDP,” Amaewhule, who represents Obio-Akpor I constituency, told the lawmakers on Friday.

He commended President Bola Tinubu for some programmes embarked upon by his administration that have benefited Nigerians, especially Rivers people.

According to the Speaker, his defection would enable him to partner with President Tinubu for the overall good of the Rivers people.

Amaewhule said, “Distinguished colleagues, let me happily announce to honourable members that your Speaker, Rt Hon Martin Chike Amaewhule, has decided and has indeed written to my Ward Chairman, Mr Osondo Orlu, of my decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party.

“APC is my new party. I will do all that is needed to be done towards ensuring that the party card of the All Progressives Congress is issued to me in no time. I am happy to be a member of the APC so that we can join forces with Mr President. He is doing so much for this country.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu means well for Nigeria. He is tackling issues of security headlong. The President has shown love to Rivers State; he is helping Rivers people to be part of the governance of this country. I am so delighted to be part of the APC so we can support the President right inside the All Progressives Congress.”

Amaewhule defected along with 15 other members of the House on Friday.

Others who dumped the PDP were the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol (Gokana), Major Jack (Akuku-Toru), Linda Stewart (Okrika), Franklin Nwabochi (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni), Azeru Opara (Port Harcourt 3), Smart Adoki (Port Harcourt 2), Enemi George (Asari-Toru 2), and Solomon Wami (Port Harcourt 1).

Also included were Igwe Aforji (Eleme), Tekena Wellington (Asari-Toru 1), Looloo Opuende (Akuku-Toru 2), Peter Abbey (Degema), Arnold Dennis (Ogu/Bolo), Chimezie Nwankwo (Etche), and Ofiks Kabang (Andoni).

Since returning to civil rule in 1999, the PDP has maintained a tight grip on the oil-rich Rivers state, until the protracted crisis rocked the state, which pitched the lawmakers against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The crisis led to the partial demolition of the State Assembly complex by forces allegedly loyal to Fubara as well as the attempted moves to impeach the governor by the lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Worried by the development, President Bola Tinubu waded in to douse the tensions and declared a state of emergency on March 18.

The emergency declaration led to the suspension of Governor Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu and the lawmakers.At the expiration of the exercise, he reinstated Fubara, his deputy and the lawmakers on September 17. (Channels)

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Supreme Court reserves ruling on appeal seeking to nullify Rivers LG polls

The Supreme Court, yesterday, reserved judgment in the appeal the All Progressives Congress, APC, filed to nullify the outcome of the Local Government elections that held in Rivers State on October 5, 2024.

A five-member panel of the apex court, headed by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, okayed the matter for judgment, after parties adopted their final briefs of argument.

The court had earlier in the day dismissed an appeal Governor Siminialayi Fubara filed to challenge another judgment that sought to compel him to re-present the 2024 budget of the state before the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State Assembly, which he argued had been overtaken by event.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Coalition has clarified that no Supreme Court judgment was issued against Fubara, despite speculations to the contrary, adding that Oko Jumbo remains the legitimate Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

While the APC, through its team of lawyers, led by Mr. J. Daudu, urged the Supreme Court to set-aside the November 21, 2024, judgment of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which declined to invalidate the election, Mr. Yusuf Ali, who announced appearance for Fubara, as well as Chris Uche, who represented the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, sought the dismissal of the appeal.

Recall that the appellate court vacated the judgment that barred the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from releasing voters register to the RSIEC for the conduct of the LG polls.

The Justice Onyekachi Otisi-led panel, in a unanimous decision, held that the high court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain suit against the Rivers State LG elections.

According to the appellate court, section 28 of the Electoral Act does not cover elections conducted by states but only Federal elections, governorship and Area Council Elections in the Federal Capital Territory.

Meantime, the Supreme Court adjourned the case for judgment on a day it dismissed an appeal Fubara filed to challenge another judgment that sought to compel him to re-present the 2024 budget of the state before Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State Assembly.

When the appeal was called up for hearing, yesterday, Fubara’s lawyer applied to withdraw it, saying it had been overtaken by events.

Neither Wole Olanipekun, who stood for the Amaewhule-led Rivers State lawmakers, nor Mr. Daudu, who represented the 3rd to 12th defendants, challenged the withdrawal, though they persuaded the apex court to award N2million cost to each of them.

The respondents further convinced the Justice Abba-Aji-led panel to dismiss the matter instead of striking it out, noting that they have already exchanged processes with the Appellant.

Maintaining that Fubara’s loss was “self-inflicted,” the appelate court held that since his counter-affidavit was withdrawn, “the appellant is deemed to have admitted the rather weighty facts that were presented by the respondents.”

The Supreme Court, yesterday, also reserved its verdict on seven consolidated appeals that are trailing the Appeal Court judgment that vacated the order that initially stopped the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, from releasing monthly statutory allocations to Rivers State.

Factional members of the Rivers State Assembly loyal to the immediate past governor of the state and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike, had insisted that all federal monthly allocations meant for Rivers state, should be withheld.

On his part, governor Fubara argued that the Amaewhule-led group had since ceased to be lawmakers in the state, having decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which sponsored their election, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. (Vanguard)