Rivers Political Crisis: Supreme Court Reserves Judgments On 4 Appeals

ABUJA – The Supreme Court has reserved judgments on four separate appeals in respect of the protracted political leadership crisis that have engulfed the State, as a result of the altercation between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

A 5-man panel of the apex court stated this after various lawyers representing all parties in the separate appeals had moved and adopted their briefs of argument.

Justice Musa Uwani Aba-Aji, who led the panel said a date for the judgments would be communicated to all parties.

The four appeals are marked SC/CV/1174/2024, between Rivers State House of Assembly and others against the Rivers State Government and nine others; SC/CV/1175/2024, between Rivers State House of Assembly and others against the Rivers State Governor and nine others; SC/CV/1176/2024, between Rivers State House of Assembly and others against Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, and nine others; and SC/CV/1177/2024, between Rivers State House of Assembly and others against the Accountant General of Rivers State and nine others.

They appeals are in respect of some of the judgments delivered by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, which prohibited the release of monthly federation funds allocation to Rivers state from the Federation Account, and another that barred the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC from releasing voter register to the State government for the purpose of conducting local government election among others.

It will be recalled that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court Abuja, had ordered the stoppage of the release of allocations from the Federal Government to Rivers state until governor Simi Fubara presented the budget before the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly members.

However, Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, upturned the judgment of Justice Abdulmalik on the grounds of grave injustice in the findings and decisions of the court below.

In another judgment, the appellate court upturned the judgment of Justice Peter Lifu, also of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had ruled against the conduct of the October 5, 2024, Local Government Council election in Rivers state on the grounds that due process of Rivers State Laws on local government elections had not been followed.

At Monday’s proceeds, Joseph Daudu (SAN) represented the camp loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT Nyesom Wike while Chris Uche (SAN), led the camp of governor Siminalayi Fubara. END.