From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The coalition of opposition members of the House of Representatives, G-60, has said that the judgment of the Court of Appeal did not void the declaration of the seats of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The spokesperson of the G-60, Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere, while speaking at a press briefing, on Thursday, in Abuja, was on the issue of the jurisdiction of a Rivers State High Court, which declared the seats of the 27 lawmakers vacant.
27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) had dumped the opposition party for the All Progressives Congress ( APC).
However, the defection of the 27 Rivers State legislators has been a subject of litigations. On Thursday, the Court of Appeal delivered a judgment on the issue.
Nevertheless, there have been diverse interpretation to the judgment of the Appellate Court.
Ugochinyere, who was flanked by other members of the group, said the judgment of the Appeal Court did not in anyway touch on the sack of the 27 lawmakers.
According to him ,”The Court of Appeal ruling today shouldn’t be misconstrued in any way. The Rivers lawmakers seats remains vacant as Appeal court didn’t decide on the validity of their illegal decampment nor the declaration of their seats vacant.
” A’Court focused on declaring that the Federal High Court is the only court with the jurisdiction to decide on the legality or illegality of decampment thereby ruling against Rivers High Court proceedings.
“So the actions of the House formerly led by Ehi in declaring the seat vacant have not been declared null and void by any court. Jumbo remains the speaker of Rivers State house of assembly, the legal fire works continues, as the declaration of the vacant seats is still valid and subject of pending litigation.”
