Court decision on Rivers Assembly excites NGO

The National Vanguard for Rule of Law (NVRL), an NGO, has described the Appeal Court’s refusal to reverse the removal of Mr. Martins Amaewhule and 26 others as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly as a triumph for judicial integrity.

The Coordinator of NVRL, Comr. Johnson Babatunde, said in a statement on Saturday in Abuja that the ruling had resurrected hope in the judiciary.

He called on Nigerians to support judges who gave sound judgements and to continue to deliver sound judgements to make Nigeria a better place.

“It is our belief that our judges will deliver sound judgements in the other cases on the political crisis in Rivers State and other cases across the country.”

He urged judges to continue to deliver judgements that would give Nigerians hope in the judiciary.

He added that justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done, as the court remained the last hope of the common man.

It would be recalled that Amaewhule, the factional speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and others had approached the Appellate Court seeking to vacate the interlocutory injunction of a high court sitting in Port Harcourt.

The interlocutory injunction empowered Oko-Jumbo to keep on with the leadership of the state assembly.

Justice Charles Wali of the State High Court had ordered Amaewhule and 24 others to stop parading themselves as speakers and lawmakers in the legislative arm of the state.

In a ruling that was delivered virtually on June 14, the Appellate Court said giving a verdict reversing the decision of a Federal High Court that declared their seats vacant would amount to pre-judging the appeal currently before it.

Johnson, however, said that if the prayer to reverse the restraining order on the 26 members was granted, they would have used it to perpetrate work against the government and people of Rivers State.

“With justices like those of the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal still in the temple of justice, it is our conviction that hope is not lost in the Nigerian judiciary.