The Court of Appeal on Thursday upheld the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had affirmed Martins Amaehwule as the rightful Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The latest court ruling is a victory for the loyalists of Nyesom Wike, former governor of the state and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT., who has been in an acrimonious battle with Governor Sim Fubara.
Fubara had challenged the judgement of Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja, which upheld Amaehwule’s leadership of the house.
Recall that a widely publicised development, Amaehwule and some other lawmakers announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Subsequently, their seats were declared vacant for abandoning the party in which platform they were elected to the house.
However, in a ruling that stirred much controversy, the court held that they did not defect as openly declared, even with swearing to an affidavit to that effect.
It was on this basis that Fubara approached the Appeal Court, which, apart from reinstating Amaehwule as speaker, also ordered the governor re-present the 2024 budget to the Amaehwule-led House of Assembly.