BREAKING: 24 Hrs After Voiding Rivers’ Budget, High Court Gives Another Notable Verdict Amid Crisis
- A high court has struck out a suit before it challenging the legitimacy of the presidential intervention in the Nyesom Wike-Sim Fubara feud
- Legit.ng reports that the court declared that it does not have the jurisdiction to entertain the matter
- The suit was filed by 10 representatives of 'the sons and daughters of Rivers state' led by an elder statesman in the Niger Delta, Anabs Sara-Igbe
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 6-year-experience covering governance and politics
Port Harcourt, Rivers state - The Rivers high court sitting in Port Harcourt has struck out a suit challenging the legality of President Bola Tinubu‘s intervention to resolve the political crisis in the state.
As reported by The Nation on Tuesday, January 23, the suit was struck out by the court for lack of jurisdiction.
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The case was filed by 10 representatives of sons and daughters of the state led by Anabs Sara-Igbe against President Tinubu; the Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara; the Speaker of the house of assembly, Martin Amaewhule; Rivers state house of assembly; and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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The plaintiffs had sought the constitutional interpretation of the peace accord and whether the directives contained in the documents to resolve the political impasse in the state were not at variance with the 1999 constitution as amended.
They also sought to know whether Tinubu had the legal right to direct the governor to re-present the 2024 budget to 24 members of the house of assembly led by Amaewhule even after their seats were declared vacant.
The applicants further demanded to know whether it was proper for names of commissioners, who had willingly resigned their offices to be re-submitted for screening.
They wanted the court to determine whether the 24 house of assembly members led by Amaewhule after defecting from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) still had the right to be members of the legislature.
However, when the matter came up on Tuesday, January 23, the presiding judge, Justice Chinwendu Nworgu, discountenanced all motions and declined jurisdiction to entertain the suit, according to Vanguard newspaper.
Nworgu cited the judgement of James Omotosho of Abuja High Court, which nullified the activities of the Edison Ehie-led faction of the Assembly.
What to know read about Rivers crisis:
- Rivers crisis: New twist as Wike’s kinsmen back Governor Fubara
- 3 reasons why Wike may lose Rivers structure to Fubara
- Rivers crisis: Pro-Wike lawmakers accused of plotting to sabotage by-elections to replace them
High court declares Fubara's Rivers' budget illegal
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the federal high court, Abuja, voided and set aside the presentation by Governor Fubara and passage of the Rivers 2024 budget by a group of four-member legislators in the state.
The court in a judgement delivered on Monday, January 22, by Justice James Omotoso ordered Governor Fubara to re-present the budget to the legally constituted house of assembly under Speaker Martin Amaewhule because what he did earlier was 'illegal'.
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Source: Legit.ng
