The Rivers State Government said the Supreme Court dismissed it’s appeal on the 2024 budget but didn’t reinstate Martin Amaewhule and 26 others as members of the state assembly. 

 The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Iboroma (SAN), made the disclosure in statement during a press conference in Port Harcourt held to correct an inaccurate media report regarding the Supreme Court ruling on Monday. 

 Some social and electronics media had reported that the Supreme Court reinstated Martin Amaewhule and the 26 members of the Rivers House of Assembly in its judgement. 

 He stated that the state government would have ignored the false narrative being spread by Mr Amaewhule, his committee of friends, and their lawyers, but decided to put the record straight. 

Mr Iboroma said that the decision to set the record straight was to correct the wrong impression and negative propaganda deliberately being fed to unsuspecting members of the public on the matter and the actions of the apex court. 

He explained that the case was about the Appropriation Law 2024 and the defection of Martin Amaewhule and 26 others from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC). 

 According to him, the Supreme Court made no order whatsoever reinstating Martin Amaewhule and 26 others as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. He added that the Supreme Court also did not make any finding on their status as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. 

 He said, “I was in court today (Monday) and witnessed all that transpired in SC/CV/1701/2024, Governor of Rivers State v. Rivers State House of Assembly, and 15 others. Regrettably, after the court’s proceedings, there has been serial misrepresentation in social and electronic media, grossly misrepresenting what transpired in court. It is important to trace the facts leading to SC/CV/1701/2024”

 He further explained that on November 29, 2023, Martin Amaewhule & 26 others instituted Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, wherein in their originating summons prayed for 11 reliefs. 

 Mr Iboroma explained that on December 11, 2023, while Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023 was pending at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, Mr Amaewhule & 26 others defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.  

He said that the action made them automatically lose their seats as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly. 

 “In Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, the defection of Martin Amaewhule and 26 others was not an issue.  Thus, it was not a question for determination. It was also not an issue for determination in the resultant appeals,’’ Mr Ibiroma said. 

According to him, before judgement was delivered in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, Martin Amaewhule and 26 others did not inform the court that they had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.  

The attorney general explained that Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, amongst others, was principally about the Appropriation Law 2024 (2024 budget). 

He added that the reason why Mr Fubara withdrew the appeal at the Supreme Court was because the 2025 Appropriation Bill had already been passed and signed into law and in operation. 

 “The Appropriation Law 2024 is now totally spent and cannot be brought back into operation; the monies in the Appropriation Law 2024, having been spent, cannot be recalled and spent again.  The Appropriation Law 2024, being spent by reason of its expiration, SC/CV/1701/2024, became merely academic and of no utilitarian value,” Mr Iboroma said. 

 He noted that the appellant, in keeping with time, honoured the practice of not wasting precious judicial time, filed a notice of withdrawal of his appeal, and freely urged the court to dismiss his appeal. 

 “Accordingly, the honourable court granted the prayer sought and dismissed the appeal; this is all that transpired,” Mr Iboroma stated. 

He, however, called on members of the public to ignore the false narrative and propaganda.

 (NAN)