The Supreme Court has affirmed Martin Amaewhule and his faction as the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly, putting an end to the legal dispute over the state’s legislative leadership.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim on behalf of a five-member panel led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, the court upheld the lawmakers’ authority and barred any attempts to interfere with their duties.
A key aspect of the judgment directed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation to withhold Rivers State’s budgetary allocations until a properly constituted Assembly enacts an official Appropriation Act.
The decision also overturned a previous ruling by the Court of Appeal, which had questioned the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction over cases related to the state’s financial matters.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court reprimanded Governor Siminalayi Fubara for demolishing the Assembly complex amid political tensions, describing his actions as disruptive.
As part of the verdict, the court ordered the Rivers State government to pay N5 million in legal costs to the House of Assembly and its Speaker, Martin Amaewhule.
