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Rivers Crisis: Legislative Lawyers Ask Supreme Court To Review Judgement

Published

6 months ago

March 13, 2025

The protracted political crisis in Rivers State took another twist on Thursday as the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners, ALDRAP, asked the Supreme Court to review its February 28, 2025, judgment that restored 27 members of the State Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule.

The Supreme Court, in the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, also ordered Governor Sim Fubara to re-present the state’s 2025 budget to the Amaewhule-led Assembly.

The apex court, in the same vein, stopped the payment of allocations from the Federation Account to the Rivers State Government. It ruled that funds would be released to Fubara’s government only when a lawful Appropriation Law is enacted by the Assembly led by Amaewhule.

The budget had earlier been passed into law after Fubara presented it to the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led three-man faction of the Assembly.

However, ALDRAP, an association of professional legislative lawyers, is asking the Supreme Court to review the judgment, which was seen by many as a final resolution of key issues involved in the Rivers political crisis.

The legislative lawyers made the request for a review of the judgment in a letter dated March 13, 2025, and addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN.

The letter was obtained by DAILY POST on Thursday.

According to the letter signed by ALDRAP’s lawyer, Kenneth Amadi, the request is based on the provisions of Order 8 Rule 16 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2024. Among other contentions, the lawyers argued that the February 28 Supreme Court judgment did not comply with previous apex court verdicts on similar cases.

The letter is titled “Application for Review by a Full Panel of Seven Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria of the Judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria Dated February 28, 2025, Delivered by Hon. Justice Emmanuel Agim, JSC, and a Panel of Five Justices, Pursuant to Order 8 Rule 16, Supreme Court Rules, 2024, and Other Relevant Laws as the Supreme Court Deems Appropriate.”

Parts of the letter read: “By way of introduction, my name is Kenneth A. Amadi, Esq. I am a legal practitioner and lawyer to the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP), which is a professional association of lawyers in Nigeria with its national secretariat inside the National Assembly complex, Abuja.

“We write to request permission to submit an application on the above-named subject matter. This application for a review of the Supreme Court judgment of February 28, 2025, is made in accordance with the Supreme Court of Nigeria Rules, 2024, on the following grounds:

“A full panel of seven judges instead of the five judges that sat on the Rivers State House of Assembly case.

*”Failure of the panel of judges to follow and comply with the former judgments of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, such as the case of Attorney-General of Bendel State v. Attorney-General of the Federation (1981).”

In an analysis of the verdict, the Executive Secretary of ALDRAP, Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja, faulted the Supreme Court judgment for failing to take note of the record of proceedings of the Rivers State House of Assembly concerning the defection of the 27 lawmakers.

READ: Fubara Schedules Peace Invites Amaewhule, Other Rivers Lawmakers For Peace-meeting

Citing a court case, Hon. J. I. Ekpenkhio v. Hon. Matthew Egbadon (1962-2001)1 Legislative Law Reports of Nigeria (LLRN) pages 307 to 336, Jaja said: “The Supreme Court of Nigeria held that the Court has a duty to take judicial notice of the record of proceedings of the House of Assembly as stipulated under Section 73 of the Evidence Act.

“In accordance with the above-named judgment, it is reasonable to expect that the Supreme Court of Nigeria would consider the words and actions of Amaewhule and the 26 others on the floor of the Rivers State House of Assembly during the plenary session in December 2023.

“Ironically, the evidence of the defection of the said 27 lawmakers is contained in the Hansard of the Rivers State House of Assembly of December 11, 2023, when the Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly read a letter of defection on behalf of the 27 lawmakers, including the Speaker. The Speaker then put it to a voice vote, and it was approved by all 27 lawmakers. This was then approved as a resolution of the Rivers State House of Assembly as passed on the 11th day of December 2023.”

Further faulting the judgment, Jaja argued: “There are so many absurdities that Hon. Justice Agim’s interpretation has created, such as the absurdity in his statement that only the offending legislature can declare that a defection has occurred.

“Additionally, Hon. Justice Agim’s interpretation has defeated the very purpose of Section 109(1)(g) of the Nigerian Constitution, considering that, going by his interpretation, it is next to impossible for any lawmaker who is in violation of the said Section to be declared as having vacated his seat if such a declaration is to be made by the Speaker of such a legislature—when the Speaker himself is also one of the lawmakers that has defected, as was the case with the 27 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

“How on earth would any offender readily agree that he or she has committed the crime of defection, which would result in the automatic forfeiture of his or her seat in the legislature, along with the humongous sums of money that are paid as both salaries and allowances to such lawmakers?

“The judicial powers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are vested in the judiciary for the sole purpose that the judiciary would perform the tasks of undertaking judicial review of the actions of the other two arms of government, namely the Executive and the Legislature. The purpose is to create checks and balances to avoid tyranny by one arm of government.

“Therefore, in the event that an application is made to the judiciary to determine whether the actions of some members of the legislature (in this case, the defection of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly) are in violation of any section of the Nigerian Constitution, it is the judiciary alone that can adjudicate and make such a determination.

“The judiciary cannot shirk its responsibility to the legislature as Hon. Agim’s judgment has done in this case. It violates the very cardinal principle of justice and fair hearing to ask the legislature to sit as a judge in its own case to determine and declare whether a defection has occurred in violation of the said Section 109(1)(g) of the Nigerian Constitution.”
(DAILY POST)

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Okpebholo Warns Companies Against Fuelling Edo–Delta Boundary Dispute

Published

7 minutes ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo, has issued a stern warning to companies attempting to exploit the lingering boundary dispute between Edo and Delta states.

Okpebholo cautioned the companies to desist from encroaching on Edo territory while the matter remains before the National Boundary Commission (NBC), for adjudication and adjustment.

The governor’s stance follows a recent reports of encroachment on Edo territory by the Delta State Government and companies allegedly attempting to establish operations on disputed lands.

Okpehbolo, accompanied by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 5, Salman-Dogo Garba, and other top security officials, spoke when he paid a fact-finding visit to the disputed areas.

The disputed territory lies between Urhonigbe Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, and Umutu community in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State.

Represented by his deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, Okpebholo, while addressing residents of Urhonigbe community, assured them of his administration’s commitment to safeguarding their interests, but urged restraint.

He further urged the affected communities to remain peaceful and law-abiding, stressing that the dispute was being handled at the highest level of national authority.

“We are here at the boundary to see the disputed area and the actual demarcation. We are appealing to the Federal Government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that the NBC steps in and expedites action so that this dispute is resolved once and for all.

“This River Ethiope is a natural boundary. We don’t want any crisis in the South-South or between Edo and Delta states. We are brothers, having once been Bendel State before Delta was created. We want peace, and we want the right thing done quickly.”

“Please don’t take laws into your hands. As a government, we will protect the territorial integrity of Edo State. But we must maintain peace and harmony with our neighbors while this matter is before the NBC,” he pleaded.

Okpebholo emphasised that while his administration was committed to defending Edo territorial claims, it would do so with fairness, peace, and respect for due process.

“Our ultimate goal is to ensure justice, preserve harmony, and protect the integrity of our people and our State,” he affirmed.

In his remarks, AIG Salman-Dogo Garba urged restraint, describing both Edo and Delta as inseparable partners in peace and development despite the dispute.

“I appeal to the communities, Edo and Delta are still brothers despite this land dispute. Be peaceful, avoid violence, don’t take up arms over this matter as it is already before the NBC,” he advised.

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Release Nnamdi Kanu For Medical Treatment, Ohanaeze President Begs FG

Published

51 minutes ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, has called on the Federal Government to release the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to enable him to seek proper medical attention.

This is as Azuta-Mbata called on Igbos across the country to ensure they register in the ongoing voters’ registration exercise and obtain their voter cards.

Azuta-Mbata said this in a short video message of himself speaking, which he sent to The PUNCH on Thursday.

Kanu’s detention has remained one of Nigeria’s most contentious political and security issues in recent years. Kanu, who was first arrested in 2015 on charges bordering on treasonable felony, jumped bail in 2017 and fled the country.

He was rearrested in Kenya in June 2021 in a controversial operation by Nigerian security operatives and has since been held in the custody of the Department of State Services.

He also urged the government to explore a political solution in handling the issue of the detained IPOB leader, saying the apex government does not have any advantage in the continuous detention of the IPOB leader.

Azuta-Mbata stated, “I’m calling upon Ndigbo-nine (Igbos in general) wherever you are in Nigeria to quickly go and take advantage of the voter registration exercise that is going on right now. Go and get your cards as quickly as possible.

“Secondly, I would like to call upon the federal government of Nigeria to quickly release Nnamdi Kanu. The Government has no serious advantage in keeping him. It is important that the government ensures his safety and his welfare, and that the Government must allow him to go and get medical treatment as quickly as possible.

“The Government must adopt a political solution to this situation. I do not believe that the Government has any serious advantage in keeping him any further.”

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FG Makes History Compulsory Subject In Primary, Secondary Schools

Published

16 hours ago

September 17, 2025

Editor

The Federal Government has announced the reintroduction of Nigerian History as a compulsory subject from primary to senior secondary school, 16 years after it was removed from the curriculum in 2009, under the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration.

The Federal Ministry of Education announced this in a statement posted on its X handle on Wednesday.

It said the reintroduction aimed at strengthening national identity, unity, and patriotism among diverse citizens.

“For the first time in decades, Nigerian pupils will study History continuously from Primary 1 to JSS3, while SSS1–3 students will take the new Civic and Heritage Studies, integrating History with Civic Education.

“Primary 1–6: Pupils will learn about Nigeria’s origins, heroes, rulers, culture, politics, economy, religions, colonial rule, and post-independence governance.

“JSS1–3: Students will study civilisations, empires, trade, European contacts, amalgamation, independence, democracy, and civic values,” the statement read.

The Ministry said the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, CON, together with the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for championing the reform.

“They emphasised that History is not merely a record of the past, but a vital foundation for shaping responsible and patriotic citizens.”

According to the Ministers, the reform is a priceless gift to the nation, reconnecting children with their roots while inspiring pride, unity, and commitment to national development.

The Ministry has released the revised curriculum and will retrain teachers, provide resources, and strengthen monitoring.

The former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua-led government in 2009 removed history from Nigeria’s basic education curriculum.

Then, it was justified that students were avoiding it with the claim that there were few jobs for history graduates, and that there was dearth of history teachers.

In 2022, the Ministry of Education under former Minister Adamu Adamu inaugurated the reintroduction of the subject.

The Ministry also trained history teachers at the basic education level in Abuja.

However, history has always remained optional in the few schools that offer it.