Supreme Court Judgment: Fubara Remains Governor Pending Appeal Court Decision

Despite the Supreme Court’s judgment, Governor Siminalayi Fubara will continue to govern Rivers State until the Appeal Court decides on the case challenging the legality of the decampment of 27 pro-Wike lawmakers to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This was disclosed by Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, Spokesperson of Nigeria’s Coalition of Opposition lawmakers, who expressed surprise at the Supreme Court’s decision. “We believe that Governor Fubara will continue to drive the wheel of governance in Rivers until the case on the legality of decampment is decided,” Ugochinyere stated.

According to Ugochinyere, the Supreme Court did not deliver judgment on the legality of the decampment of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, as the case is still pending at the Appeal Court. “For emphasis, the case challenging the illegality of the pro-Wike decampment is being heard at Appeal Court, and we are surprised the Supreme Court would confer legitimacy on lawmakers whose decampment is still a subject of litigation,” he noted.

The Supreme Court had ordered the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly to resume sitting and reinstated an earlier judgment barring the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant General of the Federation from releasing statutory monthly allocations to Rivers State.

However, the Opposition lawmakers disagreed with the judgment, stating that it was capable of inflicting injury on the people of Rivers. “It is indeed surprising that the Supreme Court faulted the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal for vacating the initial order that stopped the release of funds to Rivers State from the consolidated revenue on the pretext that Governor Fubara did not re-present the 2024 Appropriation Bill of the state before the Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led sacked faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly,” Ugochinyere said.

Ugochinyere also noted that the judgment nullifying the local government election will not affect the continuance of governance in the local government area, as governance and welfare of the people are the primary responsibility of the government.

“The LGA as a democratic institution will continue to serve the people, and the judgment has not affected delivery governance to the people. The former chairmen whose tenure expired last year remain former chairmen and cannot come back to office again,” he emphasized.

The lawmaker described the Supreme Court’s decision as unfortunate, stating that it does not augur well for democracy and federalism.

“To the power-drunk pro-Wike group, the sacked 27 lawmakers stand removed, having desecrated the Constitution and decamped from peaceful PDP to rancorous APC. They should not celebrate; it’s not yet Uhuru!” Ugochinyere concluded.