Rivers Crisis: Rep faults Falana’s interpretation of Supreme Court judgement

Rivers Crisis: Rep faults Falana’s interpretation of Supreme Court judgement

 A member representing Abua/Odual and Ahoada East Federal
Constituency of Rivers State in the House of Representatives, Solomon Bob has
faulted the interpretation of the Supreme Court judgement on the crisis rocking
Rivers state by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana.

 

Bob in a statement issued Saturday described Falana’s
interpretation of the judgement as misleading.

 

Recall that on 10th January, 2025, the Supreme
Court dismissed an appeal by Governor Siminilayi Fubara against the judgment of
the Court of Appeal, which had earlier upheld the judgment of Justice Joseph
Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Suit N0: FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023.

 

He explained that Justice Omotosho’s judgment, which was
delivered on 22nd January 2024 restrained Fubara from howsoever or in
whatsoever manner making any request, presentation, or nomination in the Rivers
State House of Assembly except to the House of Assembly under the leadership of
Speaker Martin Amaewhule

 

Falana had claimed that the dismissed appeal related only to
the 2024 appropriation law and, therefore, merely academic.

 

But the lawmaker was of the opinion that the judgment did
not only address the question of the 2024 budget presentation alone, but all
subsequent presentations (including that of 2025), requests, or nominations
before the Rivers State House of Assembly.

 

Bob added: “However, the ink on the Supreme Court’s
dismissal had hardly dried up when Mr. Femi Falana SAN appeared on a television
programme to proffer yet another misleading interpretation.

 

“Indeed, virtually all the reliefs sought and granted by the
Federal High Court and the decision of the Court of Appeal affirm the subsisting
membership of the House of Assembly by the 27 legislators.”

 

Bob emphasised that by reason of Section 272(3) of the
constitution, only the Federal High Court is vested with jurisdiction on any
question of vacancy in the seats of a House of Assembly.

 

He maintained that Justice Omotosho’s judgment remained the
only decision by a court with the requisite jurisdiction to have pronounced on
the status of the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, adding that
Falana’s insistence that they have lost their seats was outrageous and lacked
legal basis.

 

Bob said contrary to Falana’s vaunted opinion, Section
109(1)(g) of the constitution is not self-executory.

Source: Rivers Crisis: Rep faults Falana’s interpretation of Supreme Court judgement

 - NigerianEye
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