Rivers Assembly: Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule-Led Assembly Wins Big As Supreme Court Dismissed Gov. Fubara’s Suit
– Supreme Court reserves judgment in Appeal Numbers 1105 and 1106, challenging the conduct of LG Elections in Rivers State.
Dez Mayorz News.
Gov. Fubara’s suit to remove 27 members of the State House of Assembly on ground of their alleged defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was futile.
The Supreme Court also fined Gov. Fubara N2m, dismisses his appeal against judgment declaring Rivers State’s 2024 Budget Illegal.
A five-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji has dismissed the appeal filed by the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, challenging the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Rt. Martin Amaewhule.
Justice Uwani Abba-Aji while dismissing the appeal awarded a cost of two million naira against the governor payable to the Rivers State House of Assembly as the first respondent and Martin Amaewhule as the second respondent.
Rivers Assembly has been embroiled in a protracted crisis since 2023 when over 25 lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The leadership of the House by Amaewhule was then contested by lawmakers in a rival group led by Victor Oko-Jumbo known to be loyal to Fubara.
Fubara has since transacted business of the state with the Oko-Jumbo group while he ignored the Amaewhule faction.
Last October, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court which set aside the N800 billion 2024 budget passed by Amaewhule’s rival group.
The appellate court had dismissed the appeal filed by Fubara on grounds that it lacked merit. The court had nullified the 2024 Rivers budget passed by pro-Fubara lawmakers and set aside the presentation and passage of the Rivers State 2024 budget.
More details later.
