The Coalition for Justice and Accountability, CJA, has called on the National Judicial Council, NJC, to probe the Rivers State High Court following its recent judgement reinstating the sacked members of the state House of Assembly.
DAILY POST recalls that the Rivers State High Court presided over by Justice Okogbule Gbasam on Monday, declared that the Martin Amaewhule-led 27 lawmakers who defected in December 2023 are still members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, had declared the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant, saying their defection from PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC, was illegal.
But the court, in its ruling, said that the embattled speaker of the assembly, Martin Amaewhule and the 26 other lawmakers are still members of the PDP.
The judge struck out a suit filed by Wosa Amadi and three others seeking to declare the seats of the lawmakers vacant.
Reacting, the coalition, in a statement issued by its president, Dada Segun Akin, faulted the High Court judgement, urging the NJC to look into the matter.
“We are shocked that the judge arrived at the conclusion that the defected members were still members of the PDP when the members themselves stated reasons for their defection.
“In the letter of defection submitted by Martins Amaewhule and 25 others on the floor of the Rivers State House of Assembly on December 18th, 2023, the members cited division in the PDP as the reason for their defection.
“The same evidence was placed before the court, and the judge still went ahead to rule that the defected members are still PDP members, and therefore still members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“We call on the National Judicial Commission, NJC, to immediately wade into this issue at the Rivers State High Court, Degema, because the judgement will cause further damage to the already battered image of the judiciary,” the coalition said.
Rivers crisis: Group asks NJC to probe Rivers High Court over judgement
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