News

Court Delivers Judgment On Rivers Assembly, Fubara Suit Monday

Published

4 months ago

January 21, 2024

The Federal High Court, Abuja will on Monday deliver judgment in the suit by the Speaker Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the National Assembly, and others.

This was disclosed in a notice sent to parties involved in the matter on Sunday.

In the matter marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, the Rivers State House of Assembly and Amaewhule are the two plaintiffs.

The National Assembly, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Senate Majority Leader, and Senate Minority Leader are the first to the fifth defendants respectively.

The House of Representatives Speaker, House Deputy Speaker, House Majority Leader, House Minority Leader, and Clerk to the National Assembly are the sixth to the 10th defendants.

Other defendants are the Governor of Rivers State, Attorney-General of Rivers, Commissioner of Finance, Accountant-General of Rivers, Rivers State Civil Service Commission, Inspector-General of Police, and Edison Ehie the 11th to the 17th defendants.

The plaintiffs sought an order of injunction restraining the first to the 10th defendants from entertaining any request from Fubara to take over the performance of the functions of Rivers State Assembly, including its role to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of Rivers in respect of matters that are within its constitutional and legislative competence.

They sought an order of injunction restraining Fubara from impeding or frustrating the assembly under Amaewhule’s leadership as its speaker.

READ APSO: S’Court Dismisses APM’s Appeal Against Fubara

Justice James Omotoso is the presiding judge in the matter.

The suit was filed during the heat of the crisis in the state.

The crisis was caused as a result of the frosty relationship between the immediate past governor of the state and the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, and the governor.

President Bola Tinubu, however, summoned Wike and Fubara to a meeting in Abuja on December 18, where they signed an eight-point resolution to settle the political crisis.

News

JUST IN: US Lawmakers Order Investigation Of Shell, Eni For Allegedly Bribing Nigeria’s Ex-President Jonathan, Others

Published

55 mins ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

The United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services has asked the Department of Justice, DOJ, to reopen the Foreign Corruption Practice Act into Shell and Eni’s 2011 purchase of the rights to Oil Prospecting Licence, OPL, 245, one of Nigeria’s most lucrative oilfields.

The lawmakers said evidence available implicated Shell and Eni for bribing some Nigerian government officials, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, to the tune of $1.1 billion.

According to the lawmakers: “Available evidence implicates both companies in a scheme that resulted in the payment of $1.1billion in bribes to Nigerian government officials, including then President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Shell and Eni, both registered with the US Security and Exchange Commission, continue to profit from the deal in violation of FCPA.”

News

BREAKING: Rivers Assembly Clerk Disowns Pro-Fubara Faction, Insists Amaewhule Is Speaker

Published

1 hour ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

The clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi, has disowned the pro-Governor Sim Fubara’s faction of the Assembly.

Amadi insisted that the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly remains Martin Amaewhule.

The clerk said the three members of the assembly loyal to Fubara—Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari and Hon. Adolphus Orubimie Timothy—were suspended on October 30, 2023, and they cannot lay claim to be officers of the House.

On Thursday, some lawmakers appointed Jumbo as the new Speaker of the Assembly.

News

Suspension Of Enigies: Court Grants Benin Monarch’s Prayer To Join BTC

Published

2 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

An Edo State High Court sitting in Benin has granted the prayer of Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, to include Benin Traditional Council as a defendant in a suit between him and some suspended Enigie (Dukes) in Benin kingdom.

Justice Peter Akhihiero granted the Benin monarch’s prayer at the resumed hearing of the suit on Thursday.

The suspended Enigie that took the Oba of Benin to court are Professor Gregory Akenzua, Enigie of Evbuobanosa, Chief Edomwonyi Ogiegbaen, Egbaen Siluko Dukedoms in Benin Kingdom, on behalf of others.

The suspended Enigies are challenging their suspension by the Oba of Benin at the Edo State High Court.

In the suit, the plaintiffs argued that only the state governor can remove them from their positions.

In his ruling, Justice Peter Akhihiero granted the Oba of Benin’s prayer to include the Benin Traditional Council as the 3rd defendant in the suit marked, B/250os/2023, while Oba Ewuare II and Edo State Government, are the 1st and 2nd defendants, respectively.

Akhihiero, however, urged the defendants’ counsel not to worry about the timing, insisting that “the race is not for the swift, or the battle for the strong”.

“If they were bringing in the Traditional Council as necessary, I don’t see this as a problem since you people have brought the Oba to court.

“I don’t think I can shut down any party. Let them come in and file their processes,” he added.

He, however, adjourned the case to July 15, 2024.