Rivers gov’t: S/Court rejects APM’s appeal, reserved ruling on APC’s case

The Supreme Court has dismissed the Allied People’s Movement’s (APM) challenge to Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s election.

On Monday, a five-member panel of justices led by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun reserved judgement in Tonye Cole’s (APC) governorship election appeal against the same election.

In the APM appeal, the governorship candidate, Innocent Ekwu, sought to have Governor Fubara’s victory declared null and void due to his exclusion from the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He claimed, through his counsel, Confidence L. Kere, that he attended all of the congresses to become a candidate for his political party, but the party was not represented on the printed ballot papers for the March 18, 2023 governorship election.

However, the Supreme Court panel concluded that because Ekwu was not recognised as a candidate in the election, he lacked the locus standi to appear before the court.

The appeal was dismissed when the attorney was urged to withdraw it.

Cole said in his appeal that the election was conducted in significant violation of the Electoral Act of 2022.

In a similar event, the Rivers State House of Assembly has summoned the nine former commissioners who resigned from the state executive council for re-screening and re-confirmation as commissioners on Wednesday.

This is stated in a statement signed on Monday in Port Harcourt by the Clerk of the House, Mr Emeka Amadi.

Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor (SAN); Commissioner for Works, Dr Des George-Kelly; Commissioner for Special Duties, Emeka Woke; Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mrs Inime Aguma; and Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, according to the clerk.

Prof. Chinedu Mmom is the Commissioner for Education; Dr Gift Worlu is the Commissioner for Housing; Dr Jacobson Nbina is the Commissioner for Transport; and Austin Ben-Chioma is the Commissioner for Environment.

According to the Daily Trust, a flurry of resignations shook the state’s executive council on December 16, 2023, following a political conflict between the state’s Governor, Fubara, and his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The reabsorption of the former commissioners was included in the eight-point resolution agreed by all stakeholders following a peace deal facilitated by President Bola Tinubu between the gladiators.