Supreme Court Sacks Rivers Local Government Chairmen

The Supreme Court has declared the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission’s 5 October 2024 local government election to be invalid.

The court declared the election invalid because it flagrantly violated the Electoral Act in a judgment rendered by Justice Jamilu Tukur.

According to Justice Tukur, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission’s decision is void because it continued to register voters even after the election date was announced.

The court determined that Section 150 of the Electoral Act was clearly violated when processes that led to the organization of a local government election were cut short.

Also read: Supreme Court of Canada forbids CBN from releasing funds to the Rivers Government and allows Amaewhule to resume sitting with all elected assembly members.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other organizations were ordered by the Supreme Court to refrain from releasing funds to the Rivers State government until it explicitly disobeyed court orders in a new judgment on Friday.

The five-member court’s unanimous decision overturned the cross-appeal filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara challenging the legitimacy of the House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule as the Speaker. Justice Emmanuel Akomaye delivered the one-hour, thirty-six-minute judgment.

The court ordered Martin Amaewhule to resume sitting with other Rivers State House of Assembly elected members after dismissing Governor Fubara’s appeal.

The court determined that Governor Fubara’s alleged purported presentation of an appropriation bill before a four-man House of Assembly, in violation of a court order, which required him (Fubara) to re-present the 2024 appropriation bill before a legitimately constituted Assembly led by Amaewhule, is an absurd behavior.

The apex court further ruled that Governor Fubara’s actions in response to the alleged defection of twenty-eight Rivers Assembly members were brigandage and dictatorship meant to obstruct the House from carrying out its legitimate duties under Amaewhule’s leadership.

Source: Channels TV