The Supreme Court has become the focal point of the ongoing power struggle between Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers State, and legislators who support Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory and his estranged godfather.
Victor Oko Jumbo, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly’s side of lawmakers loyal to Fubara, announced that the factional assembly has appealed to the highest court to contest the ruling made by the Appeal Court on Wednesday, which was delivered in Abuja.
Remember that the Rivers State High Court’s order prohibiting Amaewhule and other lawmakers who support Wike from posing as legislators was overturned by the Appeal Court.
The Court further declared that the parliamentarians’ case could only be heard by the Federal High Court.
Governor Fubara responded by saying that his administration is not deterred by the decision of the appeals court and would not falter in its resolve to supply the state with essential infrastructure.
The governor provided the guarantee on Friday after assessing the level of restoration work completed at the Zonal Hospital project at Bori Town, the state’s Khana Local Government Area headquarters, according to a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi.
“I know many of you will be wondering what is going on and all that,” he remarked. The government faces unique difficulties. The Bible states that God prepares a table before you, and it can be before anyone. Go to Psalm 23:5–16.
“I want to reassure the good people of Rivers State and all of you that we are not giving up. We will keep providing you with good governance, no matter how challenging it may be, as we have promised.
But as I’ve already stated, the worst is behind us. We’re going forward to make sure we keep giving our state’s development the resources it needs.
Similarly, Oko-Jumbo claimed that the Appeal Court had behaved incorrectly and that his faction had filed an appeal at the highest court to fix the error in a statement released on Friday by a factional Clerk of the House, Dr. G. M. Gillis-West, in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
“Nor can any state in Nigeria, including Rivers State, have two houses of assembly. The only House of Assembly in Rivers State is this one, of which I am the Speaker.
Additionally, the Court of Appeal did not declare that Martin Amaewhule and the 24 ORS are still RSHA members.
The Court of Appeal erred in holding that the Rivers State High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear and rule on SUIT NO PHC/1512/CS/2024, and we firmly feel that in mistake.
In light of this, we have given our attorneys instructions, and they have appealed the Court of Appeal’s ruling, which was delivered on July 4, 2024, to the Nigerian Supreme Court.
Despite all of their pretenses, Oko-Jumbo declared, “Martin Amaewhule & 24 others are no longer members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and they remain so until a court of competent jurisdiction says otherwise.”
