- President Bola Tinubu has been knocked for reinstating the 27 lawmakers who dumped the PDP for the APC in the Rivers state house of assembly
- Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer and SAN, said the president’s action was alien to Nigeria’s constitution
- Falane said the INEC has the constitutional mandate to conduct by-elections for the seats of the lawmakers earlier declared vacant by the constitutionally recognised speaker of the house
Legit.ng journalist Bada Yusuf is an accomplished politics and current affairs editor, boasting over seven years of experience in journalism and writing.
Port Harcourt, Rivers – President Bola Tinubu has received more knocks than praise in his intervention in the political crisis rocking Rivers state as the rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, went deeper.
Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights lawyer, said President Tinubu reinstating the 27 lawmakers who dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), was alien to Nigeria’s constitution, Guardian reported.
Photo Credit: Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nyesom Wike, Siminalayi Fubara
Source: Twitter
In his reaction to the eight-point resolutions agreed upon by the president and the stakeholders in Rivers, Falana maintained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is mandated to conduct the by-election once the Federal High Court issued the ex parte order.
Tinubu has no constitutional role to mediate in Rivers, Ondo – Falana
According to Falana, President Tinubu has no constitutional role in solving the political crisis in Ondo and Rivers states. He maintained that the former governor of Lagos state could intervene in the situation rocking the states, but his move must be within the confines of the constitution and advisory.
The senior advocate stood on the ground that the seat of the decamping lawmakers had been declared vacant by the constitutionally recognised speaker. He then cited the case of Abegunde v Labour Party (2015) LPELR 24588 (SC).
In the suit above, the Supreme Court held that a legislator who dumped the political party that sponsored him and joined another political party automatically lost his seat in the parliament.
“No price will be too big to pay”: Fubara opens up after deals with Wike
Legit.ng earlier reported that Governor Fubara of Rivers state has said that nothing is big enough to be sacrificed for the peace of the state.
Speaking at the 3rd Convocation and 6th Founders Day ceremonies of the PAMO University of Medical Sciences, Fubara cited the quest for peace for signing his latest deals.
On Monday, Fubara met with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike and other Rivers stakeholders at a meeting convened by President Tinubu and peace deals were made.
Source: Legit.ng
