A prominent Niger Delta elder and chieftain of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has called for an investigation into what he described as the misuse of oaths by lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly, who are reportedly loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike.
Martins Amawhule leads the legislators in question, Naijaonpoint reports.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Clark accused the lawmakers of contradictory declarations regarding their party loyalties while under oath.
He urged law enforcement authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter, emphasizing the seriousness of such discrepancies.
“Amawhule and his associates have made conflicting statements under oath, at times professing allegiance to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and at other moments aligning with different political groups,” Clark said, describing this as a grave issue requiring immediate police attention.
Clark’s statement also took aim at recent court rulings involving the Rivers State House of Assembly, denouncing the judgments as “obtained by fraud.”
He alleged that Amawhule and his colleagues withheld crucial information that influenced the outcomes of decisions made by Justice James Omotoso and the Court of Appeal.
The controversy dates back to December 11, 2023, when Amawhule and 26 other assembly members defected from the PDP to join the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Clark, this defection breached Section 109(1)(g) of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates that any lawmaker who switches parties without just cause should forfeit their seat. He argued that by leaving the PDP, these lawmakers had effectively vacated their positions.
Following their defection, the lawmakers submitted legal documents containing inconsistent claims about their party membership.
Clark contended that these contradictions undermine the validity of a January 22, 2024, ruling by Justice Omotoso, who did not account for the constitutional provision regarding party defection and seat forfeiture.
Clark also raised concerns over the actions of Justice Okorowo, who blocked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from initiating the process of replacing the defected lawmakers.
This decision, Clark noted, was issued shortly before Justice Okorowo’s elevation to the Court of Appeal, raising questions about the timing and implications of the judgment.
In addition to these criticisms, Clark expressed disappointment over recent remarks made by the Court of Appeal directed at Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State.