Pro-Wike Rivers Lawmakers Secretly Withdraw Court Affidavit Confirming Defection to APC

A group of pro-Wike lawmakers from Rivers State have quietly withdrawn an affidavit submitted to the Federal High Court in Abuja, which previously confirmed their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This group of lawmakers, led by Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, reportedly filed to withdraw the affidavit, citing internal divisions within the PDP as the original cause for their departure.

The lawmakers’ defection in December 2023 stemmed from growing tensions between former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike—now the Federal Capital Territory Minister—and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The rift led the legislators loyal to Wike to align with the APC, securing legal protection over their Assembly seats through an affidavit filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1681/2023.

Sources indicate the lawmakers visited the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday to discreetly retract the affidavit, which had initially enabled them to retain their Assembly positions after switching parties. “The pro-Wike lawmakers quietly withdrew the affidavit they had used to obtain court orders preserving their seats and solidifying their new political alliance with the APC,” a top judicial insider revealed.

The withdrawal holds significant political weight in the state, given that the affidavit was foundational in securing court orders to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Rivers State House of Assembly from declaring the lawmakers’ seats vacant. The affidavit also thwarted attempts to initiate fresh elections for the 27 lawmakers who defected.

Court documents reveal that the affidavit withdrawal reversed sworn statements that detailed the legislators’ rationale for switching parties. In one clause, Amaewhule and his colleagues cited “uncertainty and confusion” within the PDP as justification for their December 2023 defection. They alleged that the PDP responded with severe threats and even petitioned INEC to withdraw their Certificates of Return, a move aimed at triggering new elections to fill the vacated seats.

In December 2023, Hon. Justice Donatus U. Okorowo granted the lawmakers an interim injunction that barred INEC and the Rivers Assembly from taking actions against their seats. The court order blocked attempts to declare their positions vacant, conduct elections to replace them, or interfere with their official functions as members of the Assembly.

The case highlights the ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State, driven by the lingering influence of former governor Wike and his loyalists in the face of PDP opposition. The quiet withdrawal of the affidavit suggests a possible strategic shift by the pro-Wike legislators, though the exact implications of this legal maneuver remain to be seen.