Assembly takeover: Rivers APC vows to appeal judgment

THE Rivers State chapter of the All
Progressives Congress has vowed
to appeal against the ruling of the
Federal High Court in Abuja that
nullified the takeover of the
functions of the State House of
Assembly by the National
Assembly.
The state APC said it rejected the
court ruling delivered by Justice
Ahmed Mohammed, adding that
the judgement was capable of
causing a breakdown of law and
order in the state.
In a statement signed by the
Senior Special Adviser to the
Interim State Chairman, APC
Rivers State, Chief Chukwuemeka
Eze, the APC added that the
decision of the High Court was
not in the interest of the people of
the state.
It noted that the anti-Amaechi
lawmakers had concluded plans
to impeach the Governor Rotimi
Amaechi, his deputy, Mr. Tele
Ikuru, as a result of the court
ruling.
The statement read in part, “The
APC received with shock, the
news of yesterday’s
(Wednesday’s) judgment of the
Federal High Court, Abuja,
presided over by Justice Ahmed
Mohammed, which declared as
unconstitutional, the taking over
of the Rivers House of Assembly
by the National Assembly.
“We are convinced that this
decision is not in the interest of
the good people of Rivers State
and have, therefore, instructed our
lawyers to immediately appeal
against it.
“We wish to alert the Nigerian
public about the imminent
breakdown of law and order in
Rivers State if the judgment of his
Lordship, Justice Ahmed
Mohammed, is allowed to stand.
“Already, the five rebel lawmakers
in the House of 32 lawmakers
have concluded plans to illegally
sit as soon as they can to
impeach Governor Rotimi Amaechi
and his deputy, Tele Ikuru.
“The aim of these misguided
agents of destabilisation
sponsored by Education Minister,
Nyesom Wike, is to pave the way
for Evans Bipi, leader of the five
rebel lawmakers, to be sworn-in
as the acting governor,” the party
added.
The APC expressed fear that the
five rebel lawmakers would be
protected by policemen and men
of the Armed Forces and would
declare the seats of the 26
lawmakers loyal to Amaechi vacant for defecting to the APC.