Falana, SAN, Insists: Rivers’ Lawmakers Who Defected To APC Have Lost Their Seats; Says Fubara Can’t Dictate Legislature’s Meeting
Femi Falana (SAN) reiterates his stance that members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have forfeited their positions in the legislative body.
Approximately 25 lawmakers aligned with the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, and the current Minister of the FCT, defected to the APC amid the political standoff involving Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Falana, who previously stated last year that the defected lawmakers would lose their seats, stands firm on his position, asserting that they have indeed lost their membership rights within the assembly.
He cited a Supreme Court ruling regarding decamping from a political party without demonstrating a division within the party, noting that the PDP remains unified.
A fresh crisis emerged within the Rivers State Assembly when some lawmakers elected Victor Oko-Jumbo as the speaker. Oko-Jumbo, representing the Bonny constituency, was elected by lawmakers purportedly loyal to Governor Fubara, though the exact number of supporters remains unclear.
Falana emphasized the requirement for a quorum to conduct legislative proceedings and highlighted the constitutional provision for a two-thirds majority in case of impeachment proceedings against the governor.
Regarding Governor Fubara’s executive order relocating the assembly’s sitting venue to the Government House, Port Harcourt, Falana asserted that the legislature is independent of the executive. He referenced past legal precedents where the Supreme Court nullified impeachments conducted outside the assembly premises.
Furthermore, Falana addressed President Bola Tinubu’s involvement in the Rivers State political crisis, labeling it as “extra-legal.” He emphasized that any resolution of the crisis must adhere to legal provisions and emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law in a democratic society.
In conclusion, Falana stressed the necessity of respecting the separation of powers among the three arms of government and asserted that the law must prevail in resolving the political crisis in Rivers State.
