In a significant development aimed at addressing the mounting political conflicts in Rivers State, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has appointed three special panels dedicated to handling a myriad of political cases originating from the state.
The panel is set to commence its proceedings on Thursday, November 14, 2024. This decisive action comes in response to an escalating legal confrontation between the current Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, the incumbent Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The ongoing rivalry between these two political leaders has sparked a flood of legal challenges, thereby fueling political divisions among various factions in Rivers State.
The situation has led to an alarming trend of conflicting judgments emanating from courts of comparable authority, a situation that has drawn the wrath of judiciary stakeholders as well as the public at large.
To address these pressing concerns and facilitate a more coherent resolution to the disputes, the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, has taken the proactive step of appointing a specialized panel.
This panel will be responsible for overseeing all appeals connected to the political turmoil currently engulfing Rivers State. Leading this specialized panel is Justice Onyekachi Otisi, who is joined by fellow justices Misitura Bokaji-Yusuf and James Abundaga. Together, they will focus on cases that involve prominent political figures and factions within the state, effectively becoming a crucial arbiter in the ongoing political chaos.
Among the appeals slated for consideration by the newly constituted panel is one filed by Governor Fubara himself, along with the Rivers State House of Assembly. This appeal also encompasses cases involving both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) concerning allegations of the defection of twenty-seven lawmakers loyal to Wike from the PDP to the APC.
During a session on Monday, a different panel within the court opted to adjourn three appeals, one of which is a case brought forth by the Rivers State Government against the Rivers State House of Assembly.
This particular case is now set to be heard by the newly established special panel. Presiding over the Monday proceedings, Justice Hamma Barka remarked, “The appeal, marked CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1211m1/2024, is among the Rivers matters for which a special panel was constituted.”
Chief Paul Erokoro, a senior attorney representing the appellant, informed the court of his intentions to ensure that all respondents, who have yet to receive the necessary documents, would be served before the Thursday session.
He highlighted that he had recently received filings from the respondents and required additional time to adequately prepare his response. Ferdinand Orbih (SAN) and Dr. Joshua Musa (SAN), counsel for the first and second respondents respectively, concurred with the request for adjournment and agreed to the proposed timeline for November 14, allowing for a thorough review of the matters at hand.
Furthermore, two additional cases—one initiated by the Accountant General of Rivers State against the Rivers State House of Assembly, and another by the Action Peoples Party against the Independent National Electoral Commission and other parties—were also postponed to Thursday for hearings by the Justice Otisi-led special panel.
The establishment of this specialized panel marks a pivotal effort to provide a clear and expedited resolution to the prevailing political disputes in Rivers State. This step is seen as a critical move toward restoring order and stability amidst the ongoing political turmoil that has plagued the state in recent months. With the special panel set to begin its work, many are hopeful that a resolution to these contentious issues may soon be on the horizon.
