₦airaland Forum

The political crisis rocking Rivers State took another dramatic turn on Friday as the Oyigbo High Court sitting in Port Harcourt adjourned indefinitely the suit filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Professor Ngozi Nma-Odu, challenging the impeachment moves initiated against them by the State House of Assembly.

The court, presided over by Justice Florence Fiberesima, adjourned the matter sine die after confirming that two separate appeals had already been entered in relation to the case.

According to the judge, the adjournment was necessary to allow the Court of Appeal to first determine the pending appeals before the lower court could take any further steps on the substantive suit.

Governor Fubara and his deputy had approached the court to challenge what they described as unconstitutional and politically motivated impeachment proceedings being pursued by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, 26 other lawmakers loyal to him, and the Clerk of the House.

Justice Fiberesima, while ruling on the application before her, held that once an appeal is properly entered, the trial court must exercise restraint to avoid actions that could conflict with the jurisdiction of the appellate court.

She noted that proceeding with the case in the face of the pending appeals could amount to judicial impropriety.

The adjournment effectively puts the impeachment litigation on hold, further prolonging the tense standoff between the executive arm of government and the faction of the legislature loyal to the immediate past governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The same Oyigbo High Court had earlier issued an interim order of injunction restraining the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 32 others, including the Clerk of the House and the Chief Judge of Rivers State, from taking further steps in the impeachment process.

In that ruling, the court specifically barred the Speaker and the lawmakers from forwarding any articles of impeachment, resolutions, or other documents or communications to the Chief Judge of the state for the purpose of setting up a panel to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Fubara and his deputy.

The interim order also restrained the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, from receiving, considering, or acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment, or related communication from the first to the 27th defendants.

The court held that such actions must not be taken for a period of seven days, pending further hearing.

Sweetberry123:
Not a lawyer but as far as I know the COA is not a court of first instance and the appeal before the COA is about vacating the order restraining the chief judge from forming an impeachment panel against the governor. So even if COA rules in favor of Martins and co, will the matter still revert back to High Court for hearing or will the chief judge be compelled to set up the impeachment panel upon exhaustion of all appeals by Fubara? Lawyers in the house pls enlighten.

Dapson73:
Fubara should thread softly as the Supreme Court is waiting for him .
Remember, Fubara hasn't implemented the last Supreme court orders so if je should go back, on any matter, they will show him pepper.
Above all, I'm for Fubara as well as I'm for Wike.

press9jatv:
Anynwu sacked, Tinubu backs Fubara, chief judge rejects letter, Wike 7-0 down

The signs are telling on the FCT minister. Do they need a soothe Sayer to tell them that their political empire is crumbling?

This week has been one of the worst weeks in Wike's political career. The ship is sinking for the good of everyone.

I remember all the boastings that the FCT minister made during his 17 days thank you visit to all 23 LGAs, one of the boastings was indirectly against Mr president

The FCT minister boasted and said: "I hear that some people are saying they will call me and tell me what to do. Nobody will call me, Rivers State is a no go area "

But today now how market?

Now many senior APC officials found that statement too authoritive for an appointee to make and boast in that manner, that even the president who appointed him cannot call him concerning Rivers State. Haba na

Well as we speak, president Tinubu has even done worse than privately calling the FCT minister to order, he has publicly backed gov Fubara as the leader of the state, indirectly drawing a red line for the FCT minister that look "you can't mess around with the leader of APC in Rivers State, you are not in APC so don't dare

This is coming immediately after the chief judge rejected the letter on gross misconduct from the Rivers assembly, that he cannot act against the existing court injunction

And also coming after his strongest political ally Samuel Anyanwu was dismissed from the court as the PDP national secretary

All these things happening just within a week

And more will likely follow, especially the appeal that has been filed by Mr speaker against the high court injunction placed on the impeachment proceedings will likely fail, the court will likely throw out the matter for lack of merit

So the ball is now in the court of the FCT minister, he has no option than to obey President Tinubu's message by withdrawing all his ongoing moves against the governor.

Especially for the appeal filed by Mr Speaker, If they are not eaten up by desperation, then they should respect the body language and position of Mr President and withdraw that appeal and end their illegal impeachement proceedinds once and for all

But if they fail to stop then what Tinubu will do to their career is too heavy for my tongue to say, it will come like a suinami on them

Alvin Idamieibi Igoni Benstowe, senior concerned citizen of Rivers State

Validated:
The impeachment is DEAD. Even if the Supreme Court gives the CJ go ahead, he will just select 7 people that are in support of Fubara. Those ones will just seat and tell the Assembly that they did not find the governor guilty. That is the end of the road.

Fiscus105:
I won't be surprised if EFCC invites speaker of the house for questioning for ₦350m, they collected from Rivers coffee without nothing to show for it


No how to stop fight, in other for u to see another battle fight in another..... For Wike.

If they send you errands slave, you should try to deliver it like son......for house.


Both Wike and house will be totally disgraced and buried politically.

Dapson73:
Fubara should thread softly as the Supreme Court is waiting for him .

Remember, Fubara hasn't implemented the last Supreme court orders so if je should go back, on any matter, they will show him pepper.

Above all, I'm for Fubara as well as I'm for Wike.

Validated:
The impeachment is DEAD. Even if the Supreme Court gives the CJ go ahead, he will just select 7 people that are in support of Fubara. Those ones will just seat and tell the Assembly that they did not find the governor guilty. That is the end of the road. The boldness Fubara has now is because the CJ is on his side. Infact Fubara will sekect the 7 man panel himself and ask the Commissioner for Justice to write their report.

press9jatv:
Anynwu sacked, Tinubu backs Fubara, chief judge rejects letter, Wike 7-0 down

The signs are telling on the FCT minister. Do they need a soothe Sayer to tell them that their political empire is crumbling?

This week has been one of the worst weeks in Wike's political career. The ship is sinking for the good of everyone.

I remember all the boastings that the FCT minister made during his 17 days thank you visit to all 23 LGAs, one of the boastings was indirectly against Mr president

The FCT minister boasted and said: "I hear that some people are saying they will call me and tell me what to do. Nobody will call me, Rivers State is a no go area "

But today now how market?

Now many senior APC officials found that statement too authoritive for an appointee to make and boast in that manner, that even the president who appointed him cannot call him concerning Rivers State. Haba na

Well as we speak, president Tinubu has even done worse than privately calling the FCT minister to order, he has publicly backed gov Fubara as the leader of the state, indirectly drawing a red line for the FCT minister that look "you can't mess around with the leader of APC in Rivers State, you are not in APC so don't dare

This is coming immediately after the chief judge rejected the letter on gross misconduct from the Rivers assembly, that he cannot act against the existing court injunction

And also coming after his strongest political ally Samuel Anyanwu was dismissed from the court as the PDP national secretary

All these things happening just within a week

And more will likely follow, especially the appeal that has been filed by Mr speaker against the high court injunction placed on the impeachment proceedings will likely fail, the court will likely throw out the matter for lack of merit

So the ball is now in the court of the FCT minister, he has no option than to obey President Tinubu's message by withdrawing all his ongoing moves against the governor.

Especially for the appeal filed by Mr Speaker, If they are not eaten up by desperation, then they should respect the body language and position of Mr President and withdraw that appeal and end their illegal impeachement proceedinds once and for all

But if they fail to stop then what Tinubu will do to their career is too heavy for my tongue to say, it will come like a suinami on them

Alvin Idamieibi Igoni Benstowe, senior concerned citizen of Rivers State

wunmi590:

More tears for wike, on hearing this, he should be gearing up to join APC which is cancer party as he has said 😆 🤣 😂

Kingosytex:
Anything wey make Sim win second term, both Wike and the speaker will run out of Rivers
I trust him to borrow a leaf from Wike and deal ruthlessly with the drunken master.

BondRiv:
The matter is before the Court of Appeal. This despot called Fubara has stalled governance with his disregard for constitution. The Assembly will perform their constitutional duty. You can't govern without the Assembly. The constitution is what is caging Fubara and no one else. The rule of law must be obeyed.

Jayce242:
Hahaha u still get mouth to talk
Go watch Bwala interview
President said Fubara should be allowed to govern Rivers State! I told your colleague the last time it will only take Tinubu few seconds to reduce Wike to nothing. Wike wey Lt. Yerima stopped from accessing a land, naim wan rub shoulders with president? Commander in Chief? I laugh...

Jayce242:
APC leaders won't welcome Wike believe me
Almost of them already have issues with him
Even if Wike decide to join APC now, he is not going to enjoy the party

Fiscus105:
If he CJ try to constitute panel, that's end of Fubara at least for now, maybe court can reverse the impeachment sha.

You can ask, ex deputy governor of Kogi his own story.

BondRiv:
Let me see the impact Bwala will add to Tinubu's re-election. They should keep basking in this euphoria. Once Tinubu loses the election, Bwala will be the first to vanish. Also, nobody is holding the governor. He is violating the constitution and getting the consequences. The governor is only the head of the executive branch, we have three branches of government.