The Federal High Court in Abuja is set to render its verdict on a pivotal lawsuit pitting Speaker Martin Amaewhule of the Rivers State House of Assembly against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the National Assembly, and several other key figures. This highly anticipated judgment carries significant implications for the political landscape.
Revealed in a notice dispatched to all concerned parties on a Sunday, the case, documented as FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, features the Rivers State House of Assembly and Amaewhule as the plaintiffs, with a formidable roster of defendants including the National Assembly, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Senate Majority Leader, Senate Minority Leader, House of Representatives Speaker, House Deputy Speaker, House Majority Leader, House Minority Leader, Clerk to the National Assembly, Governor of Rivers State, Attorney-General of Rivers, Commissioner of Finance, Accountant-General of Rivers, Rivers State Civil Service Commission, Inspector-General of Police, and Edison Ehie.
The crux of the plaintiffs’ plea revolves around securing an injunction to prevent the defendants from entertaining any overtures from Fubara to assume the functions of the Rivers State Assembly. This includes the Assembly’s constitutional mandate to enact laws for the welfare and governance of Rivers State with respect to matters falling within its purview. Additionally, they seek to prohibit Fubara from obstructing or thwarting Amaewhule’s leadership of the assembly as its speaker.
Presiding over this high-stakes legal battle is Justice James Omotoso, amid a backdrop of heightened tensions in the state. The crisis at hand is rooted in the strained relationship between Nyesom Wike, the former governor of Rivers State, and the FCT minister. Notably, the impasse prompted President Bola Tinubu to convene a meeting in Abuja on December 18 between Wike and Fubara, culminating in the signing of an eight-point resolution aimed at resolving the political turmoil.
As the impending judgment day approaches, the outcome of this legal standoff has the potential to reshape the political landscape in Rivers State and carry far-reaching implications for the entire nation.
