The Rivers Government has stated that the Supreme Court did not reinstated Martin Amaewhule and 26 others as members of the State Assembly but dismissed the Governor’s case
By Precious Akutamadu
The Rivers Government has stated that the Supreme Court did not reinstated Martin Amaewhule and 26 others as members of the State Assembly but dismissed the Governor’s case on 2024 budget.
The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Iboroma,(SAN), stated this in a press conference in Port Harcourt organised to correct the wrong media report on the case in Port Harcourt.
Some social and electronics media report that the Supreme Court has reinstated Martin Amaewhule and the 26 members of the Rivers Assembly.
He stated that the state government would have ignored the false narrative being spread by Amaewhule, his committee of friends and their lawyers, but decided to put the record straight.
Iboroma said that the decision was to correct the wrong impression and negative propaganda deliberately being fed to unsuspecting members of the public on the matter and the actions of the Apex Court.
He explained that the case was about the appropriation Law 2024 and the defection of Martin Amaewhule and 26 others from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressive Congress (APC)
According to him, the supreme court made no order whatsoever reinstating Martin Amaewhule and 26 others as members of Rivers State House of Assembly.
He added that the Supreme Court also did not make any finding on their status as members of Rivers State House of Assembly.
‘’I was in court today (Monday), and witnessed all that transpired in SC/CV/1701/2024, Governor of Rivers State V Rivers State House of Assembly and 15 others.
‘’Regrettably, after the court’s proceedings today, there has been serial misrepresentation in social and electronic media grossly misrepresenting what transpired in court.
‘’It is important to trace the facts leading to SC/CV/1701/2024,” Iboroma said.
He further explained that on Nov. 29, 2023, Martin Amaewhule & Anor instituted Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023 at the Federal High Court, Abuja,” wherein in their originating summons prayed for 11 reliefs.’’
Iboroma explained that on Dec. 11, 2023, while Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023 was pending at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Amaewhule & 26 others defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
H said that the action made them to automatically lost their seats as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“In Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, the defection of Martin Amaewhule and 26 others was not an issue.
‘’Thus, it was not a question for determination. It was also not an issue for determination in the resultant appeals.’’
According to Justice Iboroma, before judgment was delivered in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, Martin Amaewhule and 26 others did not inform the court that they had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
The Attorney General explained that “Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, amongst others, were principally about the Appropriation Law 2024, (2024 budget).”
He explained that the reason why Gov. Fubara withdrew the appeal at the Supreme Court was because the 2025 Appropriation Bill had already been passed and signed into law and in operation.
“The Appropriation Law 2024 is now totally spent and cannot be brought back into operation, the monies in the Appropriation Law 2024, having been spent, cannot be recalled and spent again.
“The Appropriation Law 2024 being spent by reason of its expiration, SC/CV/1701/2024 became merely academic and of no utilitarian value,” Iboroma said.
He added that the appellant, in keeping with time, honoured the practice of not wasting precious judicial time, filed a notice of withdrawal of his appeal and freely urged the court to dismiss his appeal.
“Accordingly, the Honourable Court granted the prayer sought and dismissed the appeal; this is all that transpired,” Iboroma explained.
He, however, called “on members of the public to ignore the false narrative and propaganda.
(NAN)
