The Rivers State Government has responded to the Court of Appeal’s decision, which upheld the Federal High Court’s ruling that nullified the N800 billion budget passed by four members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Edison Ehie.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Israel Iboroma, SAN, the state government emphasised that the Appeal Court’s judgment did not reinstate the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the assembly.
Iboroma clarified that Amaewhule and 26 others had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, on December 11, 2023, resulting in their seats automatically becoming vacant.
The Attorney General further noted that the issue of their defection was never presented before either the Federal High Court or the Court of Appeal, and no court has legitimised their membership in the assembly following their defection