Fubara implements Supreme Court judgement, directs council chairpersons to vacate office

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has ordered the 23 Local Government Chairpersons in the state to hand over to heads of local government administration in their domains on Monday, kick-starting the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment.

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In a statewide broadcast in Port Harcourt on Sunday, Mr Fubara said his government would implement the court verdict without reservations upon receipt and studying the judgement’s certified true copy.

“Although we disagree with the judgment we are bound to obey as a law-abiding government,” the governor said, regretting that the verdict seems to take the state back to its trying times.

“I urge everyone to remain calm and peacefully go about with their legitimate daily activities as we continue to do everything in our power to advance our responsibilities to the citizens,” he continued.

Mr Fubara said his administration has conducted the affairs of the state within the framework of the constitution but acknowledged that they have made mistakes, which he emphasised are not deliberate.

Backstory

The oil-rich Rivers has been engulfed in a political crisis after Mr Fubara fell out with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the FCT minister.

The crisis split the state legislature into two factions – 27 lawmakers loyal to Mr Wike while four members are backed by Mr Fubara.

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The crisis worsened in December 2023 after the seats of the pro-Wike lawmakers were declared vacant following their reported defection from the PDP to the APC.

Mr Fubara had also taken advantage of the opportunity to present the N800 billion 2024 budget to a four-member assembly loyal to him and signed it into law within 24 hours, prompting a legal challenge by allies of Mr Wike

Mr Wike’s allies later made a U-turn, insisting that they never defected, and the Supreme Court ruled in their favour on Friday.

Nigeria’s highest court, in the verdict, restored the pro-Wike lawmakers as legitimate members of the state assembly and ordered Mr Fubara to re-present the budget to them.

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Additionally, the court stopped the payment of federal allocation to Rivers State and invalidated last year’s local government election held in the state.

In his first reaction to the judgement, Mr Fubara said he would implement it without reservation after receipt of the copy of the judgement.