The Supreme Court has scheduled February 10, 2025, to hear two crucial appeals filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the legality of the 2024 local government elections conducted in Rivers State.
The court will also address five other cases related to the ongoing political crisis in the state. The legal battles stem from tensions that erupted in October 2023, when a faction loyal to former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, attempted to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, leading to a standoff and sealing of the Assembly complex by Fubara.
In the wake of the crisis, APC lawmakers defected to the ruling party, while Fubara continued to engage with a three-member Assembly. This led to a series of court cases examining the legitimacy of the three-member assembly, particularly in matters such as the passage of the 2024 budget and the screening of commissioner-nominees. These cases have been heard at various levels, from the Rivers State High Court to the Federal High Court, and up to the Court of Appeal.
The Supreme Court consolidated four appeals for efficient hearing and resolution. These include disputes over the Rivers State House of Assembly’s legitimacy, the conduct of the 2024 local government elections, and the role of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The political turbulence also saw a divided APC, with one faction loyal to Wike withdrawing from the elections, while the other, aligned with former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, participated. Governor Fubara insisted on holding the election, which was ultimately won by the Action People’s Party (APP), securing 22 out of 23 chairmanship positions.
The APC, dissatisfied with the Court of Appeal’s ruling overturning a Federal High Court injunction that had restrained RSIEC from proceeding with the election, has now appealed to the Supreme Court. The party seeks to have the appellate court’s judgment reversed.
The five-member panel, led by Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji, directed both parties to submit briefs ahead of the hearing, marking the date as pivotal for resolving the ongoing legal disputes in Rivers State.
You said:
Comments