Reactions have continued to trail the judgement by the Supreme Court with regard to Rivers State and other matters, as the Rivers State Government has stated that it is awaiting a detailed briefing on the implications of the Supreme Court’s judgement regarding state allocation and local government administration.
It stated that the defection of the 27 Assembly members was not before the Supreme Court.
After collecting comprehensive information, the administration will carefully evaluate the issue before determining the appropriate course of action for the state and its citizens, according to a statement released Friday by Commissioner for Information Joe Johnson.
He asked Rivers State residents to maintain their peace, follow the law, and carry on with their everyday lives as the government looks for more information with regard to the decision.
Johnson, however, clarified that the issue of defection of the 27 lawmakers was not a matter before the Supreme Court, as it is currently pending before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.
“At this time, we are awaiting a detailed briefing on the implications of the judgement. We will carefully evaluate the situation and determine the next steps to take in the best interest of Rivers State and its people,” the commissioner said.
He emphasized that, in this context, Martin Amaewhule and the 26 others were still seen in the eyes of the justices as lawmakers.
However, the former Rivers State governor and current minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has welcomed the Supreme Court judgement, which he inferred has ended impunity in Rivers.
According to him, the Supreme Court ruling on the crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly has ended impunity in the oil-rich state, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, said on Friday.
Shortly after the verdict, the minister briefed reporters and hailed the judiciary for upholding the rule of law.
“If you allow this, one day one member will constitute an assembly, and there is nothing you can do; it is unheard of. We must commend the judiciary for being bold to say this impunity must not be allowed,” Wike said.
“You failed to follow the Electoral Act in terms of conducting local government elections. People were hailing him (Governor Siminalyi Fubara), ‘Yes, you have done well.”
Wike, a former Rivers State governor, also took a swipe at the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors’ forum and Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed for supporting Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
He said the Rivers State governor has no choice but to fully comply with the Supreme Court’s verdict, as it represents the final legal authority on the matter.
“I hope they will also hail him today. I hope the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum will also hail him today. Supreme Court has come out to say enough is enough, we must not truncate our democracy,” he added.
The FCT Minister said this issue which has lasted for over 15 months has now been laid to rest by the highest court of the land and the only thing anyone can do now is appeal the judgement to God
“People are saying Wike Wike, It’s not about me, how can a man demolish the edifice of the state assembly and take his fraction to his house, it is unheard of.
“For me, it is happiness for Nigerians as well as Rivers people, the impunity must stop. You can’t allow such to happen, We cannot allow anyone to truncate the democracy of the country,” he stated.
Wike stated that it is not about hiring 40 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, it is about upholding the rule of law and having competent people to handle the case.
