Why the Appeal Court Nullified Victor Oko Jombo’s Speakership in Political Crisis in Rivers.

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The lingering political crisis in Rivers has gone unabated. Today,the appeal court nullified the judgment of the lower court which barred members of the state assembly, loyal to the FCT minister from parading themselves as members of Rivers stste House of Assembly, Take alook at the keynote points of the Jugde below.

The appeal court also dismissed the decision of the state high court which stopped 24 other members of the Assembly from accessing the complex or carrying out any such Legislative assignment in the name of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

A three-man panel led by Justice Jimi Olukayode-Bada while delivering judgment in the suit, upheld the appeal filed by a factional speaker of the River State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 24 others against the Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo and two others.

The court in its determination of the issue of jurisdiction of a lower court to hear and also grant and exparte order, held that the Federal High Court is exclusively and Mandatorily the only court that can hear such matters and not a state high court, citing section 273 of the Constitution.

However, dissatisfied with the verdict, Amaewhule and his colleagues approached the appellate court to set it aside.

They argued that the state high court acted beyond its jurisdiction when it issued the restraining order against them.

They further prayed to the appellate court to invalidate all the legislative actions that have been taken by the Jumbo-led Rivers State House of Assembly.

Meanwhile, before the case was slated for judgment, the appellate court, in an interim ruling it delivered on June 14, ordered the two factions to maintain the status quo and suspend further actions, pending the determination of the appeal.

The appellate court further stopped the Rivers State High Court or any other court from entertaining any suit relating to the matter, until it was decided.

On June 20, Justice Jimi Olukayode Bada-led panel of the appellate court reserved its judgment after the feuding parties adopted their briefs of argument in a proceeding that was conducted virtually. Continue reading.