A coalition of civil society organisations under the platform of coalition of Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, CCLCA, Public Interest Lawyers League, PILL others on Sunday threw their weight behind the verdict that dismissed a suit seeking to compel INEC to conduct fresh elections in Rivers for the 27 lawmakers.
Recall the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja on Friday, dismissed a defection suit instituted against the 27 former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
The suit seeking to replace the 27 lawmakers on account of their purported defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was dismissed.
Justice Peter Lifu who delivered the judgment held that the suit instituted by the Action People’s Party APP was statute barred having not been filed within 14 days allowed by law.
The ruling is a watershed in the country’s jurisprudence and a vindication of the erstwhile Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike who had been vilified by some uninformed Nigerians since the defection saga began last year. It is also a huge plus for the 27 lawmakers who were duly elected into the Rivers State House of Assembly to represent their various constituencies.
In a statement on Sunday, by Director General of CCLCA, Dr Gabriel Nwambu on behalf of other NGOs, they noted that:
“We, members of the Coalition, Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, Public Interest Lawyers League, PIL and others are fully aware that the judgement may not have gone down well with the enemies of Rivers State, particularly those who want to destroy the legacies of Wike, but we must commend the learned judge for upholding the tenets of the law and justice instead of relying on sentiments and half truth.
“By this judgement, the Nigerian Judiciary has once again discharged and acquitted itself from the charge of bias and miscarriage of justice. In this light, we urge Governor Siminalayi Fubara to heed the advice of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to allow the 27 lawmakers to return to their seats at the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“In the spirit of love, peace and justice, ,Governor Fubara should set the process in motion for a reconciliation of the feuding parties in the state legislature. Of course that will pave way for the full implementation of the peace agreement he signed when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu mediated in the conflict in Aso Rock, Abuja.
“The Coalition is hopeful that Fubara will take this judgement as an opportunity to pull Rivers State back from the brinks. We urge him to shun all sentiments, and accept the reality that the Rivers State are one indivisible unit whose collective will cannot be broken by the ambition of one man.
“It is high time, Governor Fubara realises those stoking the embers of disunity and those who want him to bite the finger that fed him are the real enemies of Rivers State.