Rivers Assembly crisis: Fubara heads to Supreme Court

 

The Rivers State Government has responded to the Court of Appeal’s decision, which upheld the Federal High Court’s ruling that nullified the N800 billion budget passed by four members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Edison Ehie.

In a statement signed on Thursday by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Israel Dagogo Iboroma, SAN, the state government emphasised that the Appeal Court’s judgment did not reinstate the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the assembly.

Justice Iboroma clarified that Amaewhule and 26 others had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, on December 11, 2023, resulting in their seats automatically becoming vacant.

The Attorney General further noted that the issue of their defection was never presented before either the Federal High Court or the Court of Appeal, and no court has legitimised their membership in the assembly following their defection.

Iboroma said: “Today, the 10th day of October 2024, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division dismissed Appeal No. CA/ABJ/133/CS/2024 filed by His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division in suit No. FHC/ABJ/133/CS/2023 delivered on the 22nd day of January, 2024.

“The defection of Martin Amaewhule and 26 others was not an issue for determination in the Federal High Court, Abuja and the Court of Appeal.

“What was in issue was the 2023 Appropriation Law and the National Assembly taking over the legislative functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

The Attorney General further stated that Governor Siminalayi Fubara has directed that the judgment be appealed to the Supreme Court.

“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.

“Accordingly, His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State urges the good people of Rivers State to ignore the purveyors of fake news bent on misleading the good people of Rivers State, ” the Attorney-General added.

Source: newspotng.com