A’Court’s Special Panel on Rivers Commences Sitting Thursday

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A special panel of the Court of Appeal on Rivers political cases is expected to commence sitting this Thursday.
The three-member panel led by Justice Onyekachi Otisi, has been saddled with the responsibility of resolving all political cases surrounding the state at the appellate court.
Since late last year, Rivers State has been in the front burner of national discuss, owing to disagreement between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the immediate past Governor of the State and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike.
The disagreement which has factionalised political institutions and actors in the state has led to situations where courts of coordinate jurisdiction had in several instances given contrary and conflicting orders to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies.
As part of efforts at achieving justice in the matter, it was learnt that the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem constituted a three-member special panel to hear handle all the appeals relating to the political disputes in Rivers State.
The constitution of the special panel was made known during a court proceedings on Monday in Abuja.
While some of the cases were filed at the High Court of Rivers State, Port Harcourt, others were filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Among the appeals are those filed by the governor and the House of Assembly, as well as that of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC).
The issues mainly revolved around the alleged defection of 27 pro-Wike lawmakers from the PDP to the APC.
At Monday’s proceedings, a panel of the court adjourned three appeals involving the political logjam in the state till Thursday for the consideration of the Justice Otisi led special panel.
When the first appeal was called, presiding Justice, Hamma Barka, noted that the 13th to 18th defendants were not yet served, following which a senior lawyer in the appeal, Chief Paul Erokoro assured that the appellant would take steps to ensure service of the appeal on parties that are yet to be served.
He said the appeal, marked: CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1211m1/2024 filed by the Government of Rivers State against the Rivers State House of Assembly and 17 others, “is one of those Rivers matters for which a special panel was constituted.”
Erokoro told the court that some of the respondents have just served some processes on him, to which he needed to file replies.
He then urged the court to adjourn till November 14, when the panel will commence sitting.
Responding, Ferdinand Orbih (SAN) who appeared for 1st and 2nd respondents and Dr. Joshua Musa (SAN), for the 3rd to the 12th respondents, agreed to the date suggested by Erokoro, following which the court adjourned till November 14.
The two other appeals that were equally adjourned till Thursday included the one filed by the Accountant General of Rivers State against the Rivers State House of Assembly and 10 others and the other by Action Peoples Party (APP) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and 28 others.
The two other members of the panel are Justices Misitura Bokaji-Yusuf and James Abundaga.