[BREAKING] Rivers: Supreme Court Dismisses Fubara’s Suit Against 27 Pro-Wike Lawmakers

ABUJA – The Supreme Court, on Monday, dismissed an appeal by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara seeking to remove 27 members of the State House of Assembly on ground of their alleged defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Court of Appeal had on October 10, 2024 dismissed Fubara’s an appeal on the same matter.

Similarly, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, had on January 22, 2024, nullified the passage of Rivers State’s N800 billion 2024 budget by four members of the House of Assembly.

The court had described the passage of the bill by the four lawmakers, led by Hon. Ehie Edison, as an “aberration and illegality”.

The apex court in a ruling delivered by Justice Musa Uwani-Aba-Aji, dismissed the appeal following its withdrawal by Fubara through his lead counsel, Yusuf Ali, SAN.

Governor Fubara in the notice for withdrawal of the case simply informed a 3-man panel of Justices of the Court that events have overtaken his suit and that the lawmakers are their friends.

The request for the withdrawal of the contentious suit was not opposed by Rivers States House of Assembly and its Speaker, Martin Amaewhule who were represented by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN,

Olanipekun, however demanded for outright dismissal of the suit on the premise that parties have filed and exchanged their brief of arguments and thus, joined issues with each other.

He argued that the proper order to be made in the circumstances is the dismissal of the case which the court agreed with.