Supreme Court Reinstates Amaewhule-Led Rivers Assembly

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has affirmed the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Mr. Martin Amaewhule, as the legitimate and properly constituted legislative body for the state. The court’s ruling, delivered on Friday, rejected claims that the assembly was unlawful and ordered that Amaewhule and his fellow members, including 26 others who were alleged to have defected, be allowed to resume their legislative duties without interference.

In a unanimous decision, the five-member panel of justices, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, instructed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) to withhold any further budgetary allocations to Rivers State until a valid Appropriation Act is passed by a lawful House of Assembly.

The court also condemned the actions of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, accusing him of unlawfully dissolving the assembly in an attempt to thwart efforts to impeach him. Justice Emmanuel Agim, who read the lead judgment, said the governor’s actions were “unconstitutional” and an affront to the rule of law.

In addition, the Supreme Court overturned a previous decision by the Court of Appeal, which had ruled that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction over disputes involving Rivers State funds.

The court also imposed a cost of N5 million on Governor Fubara and the Rivers State Government, to be paid to the House of Assembly and Mr. Amaewhule as compensation for legal costs incurred during the dispute.