Renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana has shed light on the recent Supreme Court verdict regarding the Rivers State governor Siminalayi Fubara’s appeal against the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly. Contrary to popular opinion, Falana emphasized that the court’s decision does not determine who the authentic Speaker of the House is.¹
The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal due to its withdrawal by Fubara’s counsel, Yusuf Ali, on the grounds that the issues at hand had become moot. Falana explained that the initial appeal stemmed from a Federal High Court decision regarding the 2024 budget proposal, which the governor claimed had already been passed into law, rendering further litigation unnecessary.
The Rivers Assembly has been embroiled in a crisis since 2023, when over 25 lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This led to a contested leadership, with Amaewhule’s faction vying against the rival group led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, loyal to Fubara.
Falana pointed out that, according to the law, three members of the state House of Assembly can perform legislative functions, except in cases of impeachment. He also stressed that the 27 lawmakers who defected from the PDP to the APC lost their seats, as they were declared vacant.
In essence, the Supreme Court’s verdict did not address the contentious issue of who is the legitimate Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
