The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has vacated the order that sacked 25 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-man panel of Justices, on Thursday, held that the Rivers State High Court, which issued the order, lacked the requisite jurisdiction to do so.

It upheld the appeal that was lodged before it by the lawmakers who were led by the embattled Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Amaewhule.

It will be recalled that Justice Charles Wali of the Rivers State High Court had on May 10, issued an interim injunction that restrained the embattled lawmakers loyal to the immediate past Governor of the state and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, from parading themselves as members of the Assembly, having decamped from the political party that sponsored their elections.