Rivers Governor  Siminialayi Fubara  has directed his lawyers to file an appeal against the judgement of the Appeal Court and apply for a stay of execution of the judgement.

The Governor  insisted that the Appeal Court judgment of Thursday in Abuja did not reinstate the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly.

In a statement by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Israel Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, in Port Harcourt on Thursday, the Governor alleged that Amaewhule and 26 others defected on December 11, 2023.

He said their seats became automatically vacant from the day they announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the whole world.

The Attorney-General insisted that the issue of defection of Amaewhule and 26 others was never before the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, Abuja, and therefore, no court had legitimised their membership of the House of Assembly on the basis of the defection. 

Dissatisfied with the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, His Excellency, the Governor has directed his lawyers to file an appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court and also file an application for stay of execution of the judgment of the Court of Appeal. That maintains the status quo.