In response to escalating political tensions in Rivers State, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has set up a three-member special panel to handle the influx of politically charged cases from the state.
The panel, chaired by Justice Onyekachi Otisi and including Justices Misitura Bokaji-Yusuf and James Abundaga, will begin hearings on Thursday, November 14, focusing on cases that have intensified following a political divide between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The political discord between Fubara and Wike has led to a series of legal battles, factional divisions among local leaders, and conflicting judgments from various courts.
This turmoil has drawn criticism from judicial stakeholders and the public, prompting the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, to establish this panel with the aim of streamlining and expediting case resolutions related to Rivers State’s political conflicts.
The special panel will take up prominent cases, including a critical one involving Governor Fubara, the Rivers State House of Assembly, and appeals regarding the alleged defection of 27 lawmakers from the PDP to the APC. By centralizing these cases, the judiciary aims to deliver timely decisions that may ease the political friction in Rivers State.
In a session on Monday, Justice Hamma Barka announced that three active cases, including one initiated by the Rivers State Government against its House of Assembly, will be transferred to the new panel.
Attorney Paul Erokoro, representing one of the appellants, confirmed that relevant documents will be served to respondents by Thursday, with both sides agreeing to adjourn until the panel’s formal hearing.
This initiative, WesternLifeNewsNG understands, underscores the judiciary’s commitment to swiftly addressing Rivers State’s political turmoil, aiming to restore order and stability to its governance landscape.
