“ENFORCE YOUR APPEAL COURT VICTORY” ~Rivers Group urges Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly
…demands Police collaboration to uphold justice
The Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM), a foremost advocacy group in Rivers State has issued a pressing call to action to the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly, urging Hon. Amaewhule and 25 other lawmakers to take immediate action to reclaim the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
In a communiqué jointly signed by the Director General, RRM, Hon. Johnson Georgewill and Secretary RRM, Mrs Sarima Akpata, the group advocated for the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly to ensure that the Police are mandated to enforce all laws, as stipulated by the Court of Appeal’s judgment.
This move is seen as crucial in maintaining law and order and upholding the rule of law in Rivers State.
The communique read in parts this:
“The attention of the leadership of Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM) has been drawn to a series of misleading, vexatious and infuriating reports by aides of Governor Siminialayi Fubara and his Lead Counsel over the recent withdrawal of the Appeal the Governor filed at the Supreme Court.
Ordinarily, RRM could have ignored their ignorance but there comes a time when impunity to the rule of law has to end. It is on this background that we need to make these clarification:
(1) RRM congratulates the Speaker, Rt Hon. Martins Amaewhule and 25 Others on their victory at the Supreme Court due to withdrawal of the Appeal filed by Governor Siminialayi Fubara. This clearly means that the withdrawal has given life to Justice Omotosho’s Judgement of the Federal High Court and the consequent victory of Hon Martins Amaewhule and 25 others at the Court of Appeal that clearly states that the 2024 budget was illegal because Hon Oko Jumbo and his team do not exist in law.
It is on this premise that RRM, it’s affiliate groups and majority of Rivers people are calling on the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Hon. Matins Amaewhule to rise up and action the judgement of the Court of Appeal by ensuring the Police are made to enforce all laws.
(2) It is so shameful and dishonorable that the Governor of Rivers State, who is supposed to be the custodian of the law is encouraging his appointees to disobey orders of court via misinterpreting valid court judgement. RRM is also worried that even with the clear statement by the court of Appeal, which today stands as the LAW, the Governor still went ahead to appoint members of the RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY SERVICE COMMISSION that has been screened by the illegal Oko Jumbo led team.
*For us, we have vowed to join hands with the House Of Assembly members to ensure people, who disobey this Appeal Court judgement are arrested because we run a constitutional democracy*.
“Finally, Rivers Restoration Movement is calling on Mr President, the international community, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Senior Legal Luminaries and the Inspector General of Police to rise up and defend democracy that we all know is anchored on the rule of law.
It is a PITY that for the first time, a simple Judicial process that has been withdrawn at the Supreme Court, thereby given life to the Appeal Court ruling, will be disobeyed. The big question is simple, if the Governor has immunity, do other aides of the Governor that disobey valid court judgements also enjoy same immunity from the law?
The Inspector General of Police should enforce all known laws, especially; as regards the Appeal Court Judgement that clearly declared Rt Hon Matins Amaewhule as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.
Special thanks to the Leader of Rivers State politics and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike for standing on the path of justice because we know the day of reckoning for all betrayals is close,” the communiqué read.
Meanwhile, Justice Omotosho of the Appeal Court, in his judgement last year, had warned Governor Fubara not to exceed his powers. Omotosho said the Court is against any plan to jeopardise democracy, warning that a governor should not “exceed his power”.
The Appeal Court Judge declared that the governor of Rivers State, by himself or by members of the staff of the Rivers State Public Service are not entitled to take steps aimed at interfering the affairs of the River State House of Assembly and the Speaker, in the performance of their duties.
Justice Omotosho noted that the governor cannot withhold the due funds of the lawmakers in the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund. He subsequently restrained the National Assembly from accepting any requests from the governor.
The Judge held that Amaewhule remained the valid Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly based on facts before his Court and the withdrawal of the court process by the governor’s legal team, the governor admitted all the facts stated by the plaintiffs.
The Judge said the purported sitting of Ehie and three other lawmakers, who sat to pass the 2024 N800billion budget of the State is null and void.
Omotosho said the Court found it strange that the governor would destroy the Rivers State Assembly building as well as present appropriation bill to four lawmakers. He declared the presentation of the bill to the four lawmakers void. The judge granted the order setting aside the purported Appropriation Bill signed, despite the interim order of his court, restraining him.
The Judge also granted the order restraining the governor from continuing the demolition or construction of the Rivers State House of Assembly building. The court said all the acts of the governor with four lawmakers is a nullity and he should go through the lawmakers presided by Amaewhule.