Court of Appeal Sets Up Special Panel to Resolve Rivers State Political Disputes, Hearings Begin November 14
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set up a special three-member panel to handle political cases arising from Rivers State, with hearings scheduled to begin on Thursday, November 14. This decision comes in response to the increasing legal battles between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who currently serves as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
The ongoing feud between Fubara and Wike has triggered a series of legal disputes, leading to divisions among political factions and inconsistent rulings from various courts. These developments have sparked concern among legal professionals and the public, who have called for a more coherent approach to resolving the matters.
To address this situation, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, the President of the Court of Appeal, appointed a special panel to oversee all appeals related to the political crisis in Rivers. The panel will be headed by Justice Onyekachi Otisi, with Justices Misitura Bokaji-Yusuf and James Abundaga serving as members. They will handle high-profile cases involving key political figures and factions in the state, including a notable appeal filed by Governor Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly.
One of the prominent issues to be heard by the panel involves the defection of 27 lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move that has further deepened political tensions in the state. The panel will also hear other appeals, including cases brought by the Rivers State Government against the Rivers State House of Assembly.
During a recent session on Monday, the court adjourned several cases, including one involving the Rivers State Government and the House of Assembly, to be heard by the newly constituted special panel. The appeal, marked as CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1211m1/2024, is part of the ongoing Rivers political matters that the panel is set to address.
Senior Counsel Paul Erokoro, representing the appellant, informed the court that efforts would be made to ensure that all respondents who had not yet been served with necessary documents would receive them before Thursday. He also requested additional time to prepare his response after receiving recent filings from the respondents.
Counsel for the first and second respondents, including senior lawyers Ferdinand Orbih (SAN) and Dr. Joshua Musa (SAN), consented to the request for an adjournment to November 14.
Other cases, including one filed 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 (INEC), have also been adjourned to Thursday for hearing by the Otisi-led panel.
The establishment of this special panel is seen as a critical step toward ensuring a swift and orderly resolution of the political disputes in Rivers State, helping to restore stability amidst the ongoing legal and political turmoil.
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