The Supreme Court also awarded costs of two million naira against the governor, payable to the Rivers State House of Assembly as the first respondent and Martin Amaewhule as the second respondent.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed the appeal by Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, which challenged the leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, who is loyal to former Rivers Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Justice Uwani Abba-Aji delivered the ruling, noting that the appeal was withdrawn by Fubara's lawyer, Yusuf Ali (SAN).
The Supreme Court also awarded costs of two million naira against the governor, payable to the Rivers State House of Assembly as the first respondent and Martin Amaewhule as the second respondent.
Court documents obtained by SaharaReporters and signed by the governor’s lawyer, Yusuf Ali, show that the court tendered the notice of withdrawal of the appeal on February 6, 2025.
The document reads: “TAKE NOTICE that the Appellant herein intends and wholly withdraws his Appeal against all the Respondents in this appeal, the appeal has been overtaken by events.”
The legal implication of these developments is that Governor Fubara is now bound by the Court of Appeal's ruling, which recognised Martin Amaewhule as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Earlier, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the N800 billion budget passed by the Edison Ehie-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly and signed into law by Governor Fubara.
The court also upheld the suit filed by the Assembly and Speaker Martin Amaewhule against Fubara, seeking an injunction to prevent the governor from obstructing the Assembly under Amaewhule's leadership as Speaker.
On December 13, 2023, in the heat of the protracted political crisis rocking the oil-rich state and the demolition of the Assembly Complex, Fubara presented the 2024 budget proposal of N800 billion to five members of the State Assembly led by Edison Ehie.
The presentation was done at the Government House in Port Harcourt, following the demolition of the Assembly Complex by the state government and after a court restrained Ehie’s contender, Martins Amaewhule, from using the Assembly Complex.
Ehie and the other pro-Fubara lawmakers passed the budget estimates and the governor signed the bill into law, saying it is aimed at promoting economic development through inclusive growth and addressing socio-economic inequality in the state.