By John James, Lagos.
Legal expert Femi Falana, SAN, has clarified the Supreme Court’s recent decision regarding the Rivers State House of Assembly, stating that it did not determine the legitimate Speaker. The court dismissed Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s appeal against the Martin Amaewhule-led faction, but this dismissal was based on the governor’s counsel withdrawing the suit, not on the merits of the case itself.
“When an appeal is dismissed not on merit but on the basis of withdrawal by the appellant, the question of celebration doesn’t arise,” Falana explained on Channels Television’s Politics Today and monitored by OBSERVERS TIMES, He emphasized that the governor withdrew the appeal because the issues were no longer relevant, as the 2024 budget proposal at the heart of the initial suit had already been passed into law. “The court did not determine who is a speaker or who is not a speaker,” Falana asserted.
The Rivers Assembly has been plagued by internal conflict since 2023, when a large number of lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This led to a split in the Assembly, with the Amaewhule faction challenged by a rival group led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, who is aligned with Governor Fubara. The governor has been conducting state business with the Oko-Jumbo faction.
Falana further argued that the 27 lawmakers who defected to the APC lost their seats, citing legal precedent. He also noted that a quorum for legislative functions, excluding the impeachment of the governor, can be formed with just three members.
Supreme Court Ruling Doesn’t Settle Rivers Speakership Dispute – Falana
