Fubara is threat to Democracy – Rivers LG Chair

Chairman, Emohua LGA, Rivers State, Chidi Llyod, speaks with Esther Omopariola on TVC programme about the lingering political crisis in the state. ODEKOLA DEBORAH brings excerpts.

Some lawyers say it isn’t Uhuru for Martin Amaewhule and other lawmakers in this case, stating that the appeal court only stated that the High Court doesn’t have jurisdiction to entertain this suit. How would you react to this?
To say the least, that I am very ashamed that you have lawyers who are not parties, who are not counsels in the matter, but to describe, to run commentaries in matters that they are not part of, nor did they file any processes, or how were they amicus curia in the process. Esther, allow me to lay the foundation of how all of this began so that some of you can also help us. It does appear that most of your colleagues are part of the problems that we are having. I first recall that this whole issue started shortly after the State Assembly was bombed. And when the State Assembly was bombed, there was no question as to who was Speaker or who had lost his seat. The Assembly met on a Monday and immediately suspended its leader, who was the Rt Honorable Edison Ehie and others were suspended, those who the leadership of the House accused of being part of the bombing of the State Assembly. Then this continued until the 11th of December when the Rt Honorable Chike Martin Amaewhule and 25 others announced their defection on the floor of the House to the All Progressive Congress. Now Esther, recall that a day or two after, the Rt Honorable Chike Amaewhule immediately approached the courts. He filed a suit in the Federal High Court, Abuja. Now the cases of Rt Honorable Matin Chike Amaewhule and 25 others against INEC and others. Note that the DSS, the IGP, the Rivers State Government, and the People’s Democratic Party were part of this suit. And this matter was still before Justice E.U Okorowo, and Justice Okorowo made an interim order for parties to maintain the status quo. As at this time, there was no question as to the speakership, or otherwise, of Matin Amaewhule. That order by Justice Okorowo later metamorphosed into an interlocutory order. That matter is still subsisting. That order has not been challenged.

On this matter, we understand that the Appeal Court was silent on the status of the lawmakers in question.

No, if you allow me I will get there. The Appeal Court wouldn’t have been silent. Something made them go to the Appeal Court. Why did Martin Amaewhule appealed. What did he appeal? Martin Amaewhule appealed that the interlocutory order made by Justice CN Wali of the State High Court. Justice Wali gave an order that stopped Martin Amaewhule and his colleagues from parading themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, having lost their seats. This was the order that gave rise to the appointment of that one fellow, Victor Oko-Jumbo, and two others, who masquerade as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly today.

We would like you to tell us what the government or your party intends to do to address this situation because it is going to affect the development of Rivers State.

I would like to say this, that a lot of people, including the fellows that appeared earlier on your programme at 2 pm, including one barrister that dwelt on misinforming the people. Now, the law is not emotional. The law does not see through the eyes of barrister Higher King. The law sees through it’s own eyes. And for those who say that the Court of Appeals just said the lower court has no jurisdiction, it is insipid, it is ineffectious, it is vacuous, and to say the least, it is patronising. You know, in Rivers State, unfortunately for us, everybody has been called to the bar, but only very few people parade the law degree. People now give wrong commentaries on the way that it will suit them. I heard a lawyer say that three people can pass a budget. When the judgment of Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court of Abuja had already nullified that act by the Governor of Rivers State to say that it was ineffectious. So we need time to educate Nigerians on the shenanigans that are going on. And I like to quickly say that the Governor of Rivers State has become a very big threat to democracy.