The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt has dismissed two appeals instituted by Local Government Chairmen loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The appeals, marked CA/PH/137M/2024 and CA/PH/145M/2024, were filed by Enyiada Cookey-Gam and six others.
They were challenging the decisions of the High Court regarding the elongation of their tenure. The Court, while delivering its ruling on Monday, found the appeals to be without merit and consequently struck them out.
Earlier, there was heightened tension in Rivers State as two factions of the state assembly held parallel sittings.
The Victor Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly and Martin Amaewhule groups hold parallel sittings at different venues.
While Jumbo is loyal to Governor Sim Fubara, the Amaewhule-led House is loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
While the pro-Fubara lawmakers hold their sitting in an improvised Hallowed Chamber in the state Government House, Port Harcourt, the pro-Wike legislators sit at the official quarters of the State Assembly along Aba Road, also in the metropolis. Both houses commenced plenary by 10 am.
While the Oko-Jumbo-led House is expected to screen a new commissioner-nominee, Emmanuel Frank-Fubara, the schedule of the Amaewhule-led lawmakers remains unknown as at press time.
Interestingly, Martin Amaewhule led-Rivers State House of Assembly issued a 7-day ultimatum to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to re-present the 2024 budget to the House.
The ultimatum came after the first sitting of the pro-Wike House on Monday. The sitting of the Amaewhule-led lawmakers will be their first since the Court of Appeal judgement recognised them as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Fubara had earlier presented the budget to the House loyal to him when his current Chief of Staff Edison Ehie presided as the Speaker.
Ehie and the other pro-Fubara lawmakers passed the budget estimates, and the governor signed the bill into law.
He stated that it is aimed at promoting economic development, inclusive growth, and addressing socio-economic inequality in the state.
Recall that the State House of Assembly Complex, located along Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, was bombed in October 2023, following an attempt by 27 lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister to impeach Fubara.
The pro-Wike lawmakers later announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) while the pro-Fubara legislators declared their seats vacant.
The status of the 27 lawmakers has since been subjected to a legal fight with the Appeal Court ruling in favour of the Amaewhule’s faction of the house.
