The political standoff between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has reached the Supreme Court with five separate cases filed against each other.
The apex court has fixed February 10, 2025, for hearings in the consolidated appeals.
During proceedings on Monday, a five-member Supreme Court panel led by Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji ordered the consolidation of four of the cases for ease of determination.
The cases include disputes over budget presentations, local government elections, and financial allocations.
The consolidated appeals include SC/CV/1174/2024, SC/CV/1175/2024, SC/CV/1176/2024, and SC/CV/1177/2024.
They address issues ranging from the Rivers State House of Assembly’s contention with the state government and its governor to disputes involving the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and the Accountant General of Rivers State.
The court also adjourned SC/CV/1071A/2024, a cross-appeal involving the Rivers State House of Assembly and the National Assembly, to the same February 10 date following the withdrawal of a previous cross-appeal filed in November 2024.
These legal battles stem from irreconcilable differences between the two camps, exacerbated by recent court judgments.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier faulted Governor Fubara’s budget presentation to a faction of the state assembly loyal to him, ordering a re-presentation to the faction led by Martin Amaewhule, a Wike loyalist.
Similarly, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a sister court, ordered the stoppage of federal allocations to Rivers State until the budget was re-presented. However, the Court of Appeal later overturned this ruling, citing grave injustice.
Another contentious issue is the October 5, 2024, local government election, which Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had nullified.
This ruling was also overturned by the Court of Appeal.
The Supreme Court proceedings saw robust legal representation, with about 50 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) appearing for both camps.
Governor Fubara’s legal team was led by Chris Uche, SAN, while Wike’s camp was represented by Joseph Bodunde Daudu, SAN.
As the legal confrontation between the two camps intensifies, Justice Aba-Aji emphasised the need for all parties to ensure proper filing and service of court documents before the February hearing.
