Rivers Crisis: Fubara Gets Bloody Nose As Supreme Court Affirms Wike- Backed Amaewhule Assembly

The Supreme Court, on Friday, affirmed the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule as the authentic and legally constituted lawmaking body in the state.

The judgment has fully settled the factional crisis, and the month long supremacy battle rocking the state assembly since last year, between the factions backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT,  Nyesom Wike and the governor, Siminalaye Fubara.

Wike-, a former governor of the oil rich state had set up a battle with Fubara, a former political ally who rode on his wings to become the governor, over the control of the soul of the state.

The case which started at the lower court and finally terminated at the nation’s apex court today, has left not a few wondering what is the next line of action for Governor Fubara.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, a panel of five  justices led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji gave the order in the unanimous judgement read by Justice Emmanuel Agim.

The court also restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, from further releasing budgetary allocations to Rivers State until a valid Appropriation Act is passed by a lawfully constituted House of Assembly.

In a unanimous judgement, on Friday, the panel ordered that Mr Amaewhule and other 26 members of the assembly, who were alleged to have defected, should be allowed to resume legislative duties unhindered.
The Supreme Court further ordered that all members of the House of Assembly are to resume normal legislative businesses without any hindrance to any members.

Justice Agim condemned the conduct of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who he said resorted to acting unlawfully by pulling down the House of Assembly owing to his fear that there were moves to remove him from office.

The nation’s apex court set aside the earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal, in which the appellate court held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction on cases relating to funds belonging to Rivers State.

The panel also awarded a cost of N5 million against Governor Fubara and the Government of Rivers State, to be paid to the Rivers State House of Assembly and Amaewhule.

The question now is whether the Supreme court judgement will finally restore peace to the restive state, and whether the contending groups will now try to explore political settlement to the issue, since the judgment cannot be challenged in any court.