Rivers Govt clarifies Supreme Court case on Assembly leadership, defections

The Rivers State Government has reaffirmed that its legal challenge concerning the leadership of the State House of Assembly and the status of lawmakers who defected in December 2023 remains pending before the Supreme Court.

The clarification was issued by Edison Ehie, Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, in a Facebook post amid growing speculation about the recent Supreme Court ruling.

Ehie clarified that the Supreme Court’s decision on Monday, February 10, 2025, specifically addressed the Appeal Court’s judgment, which directed Governor Fubara to re-present the 2024 budget before the Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly.

He explained that since the 2024 budget had already been fully expended, the governor opted to withdraw his appeal against the ruling, considering further litigation unnecessary.

“This appeal, SC/CV/1071/2024: GOV of Rivers State v Rivers State House of Assembly & Ors, which came up today at the Supreme Court, has become purely academic,” Ehie stated.

He further elaborated that the case stemmed from SUIT NO. FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, filed on November 29, 2023, before Justice James Omotosho at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The suit solely pertained to the 2024 budget, which was fully implemented by December 31, 2024, marking the conclusion of the fiscal year.

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“The appeal is of no useful purpose in this year 2025, which has its budget. The only reasonable thing left to do was to withdraw the appeal and have it dismissed,” he added.

Ehie emphasized that the withdrawn appeal had no bearing on the ongoing legal proceedings regarding the defection of 27 lawmakers, including Martins Amaewhule.

He reiterated that on December 11, 2023, Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), thereby vacating their seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly under constitutional provisions.

“This appeal that was withdrawn today has nothing to do with the seats of Martin Chike Amaewhule and his 26 friends in the Rivers State House of Assembly,” Ehie asserted.

He urged the public not to be swayed by what he described as false propaganda from the defected lawmakers and reaffirmed that the case concerning their defections remains under the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction.

The Rivers State Government continues to monitor developments closely, reinforcing its commitment to legal and constitutional procedures.