The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has alleged that sponsored propaganda against the Gov. Seminalayi Fubara administration is responsible for the political crisis unfolding in Rivers State.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement on Monday, stated that the attempt by the defected Rivers State House of Assembly legislators led by Martin Amaewhule to illegally return to their seats, led to the misinterpretation of court judgements regarding their fates.
HURIWA said no court has declared the pro- Wike sacked legislators as the legitimate lawmakers in Rivers State, adding that misinterpreting Supreme Court rulings will continue to be the order of the day, because of the sponsored propaganda by those with unlimited access to public funds.
“Let’s remind Nigerians that in 2023, these 27 lawmakers publicly decamped to the APC and have at various times deposed to affidavits, even in a suit at the Federal High Court in suit number FHC/ABJ/1681/CS/2023 that they’re now members of the APC owing to the alleged crisis in the PDP.
“In line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, they lost their positions in the lawmaking body, and subsequently, an order from the Rivers State High Court in May 2024, barred them from parading themselves as members of the state legislature after they defected from the PDP to the APC.
“Their seats remain vacant because in line with the law, they defected to the APC and are no longer members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and there are many valid rulings of the high court that have restrained them from illegally parading as lawmakers.
“These desperate actions of the errand boys of the FCT minister, to whom they have profusely professed their loyalty, have exposed a pattern of political maneuvering aimed at undermining the Rivers State Government and destabilizing the administration of Governor Fubara.
“The Supreme Court ruling was on the decision of Gov. Fubara’s camp to withdraw an appeal over the already spent 2024 budget case which was filed by the sacked lawmakers before their decampment, and the case doesn’t concern their sack after decampment.
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“No court has ruled on that and the attempt to keep wasting public funds for paid media conferences, to seek enforcement of a case that didn’t confer on them any legal right after their decampment, will continue to be a waste of time.
“They decamped on their own on the floor of the House of Assembly, they swore affidavit in court to back their decampment, they were received by the APC in a rally for decampment and handed over the APC flag, and APC threw a dinner party for them to celebrate their decampment.
“Suddenly, when they couldn’t get their political machinations of destabilizing the administration of Governor Fubara, and realising that they messed up and have lost their seats, they want to deny their day light documented decampment.
“This will not work and no amount of press conferences can change the fact that the sacked pro-Wike lawmakers remain sacked until the Supreme Court says otherwise.
“We advise them to stop wasting their sponsor’s money on endless paid press conferences, to deny an undeniable decampment,” HURIWA said.
