The Rivers State High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, has struck out a suit challenging the legality of President Bola Tinubu‘s intervention in the political crises of the state.
The case, rejected for lack of jurisdiction, was filed by 10 representatives of sons and daughters of the state, led by His Highness, Anabs Sara-Igbe, against President Tinubu, the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers State House of Assembly and its Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The plaintiffs had sought a constitutional interpretation of the peace accord and whether the directives contained in the documents to resolve the political impasse in the state were not at variance with the 1999 Constitution as amended.
They also sought to know whether the President has the legal right to direct the governor to re-present the 2024 budget to 24 members of the House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule even after their seats were declared vacant.
The applicants further demanded to know whether it was proper for the names of commissioners who had willingly resigned their offices to be re-submitted for screening.
They wanted the court to determine whether the 24 House of Assembly members led by Amaewhule, after defecting from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC, had the right to remain members of the legislature.
But when the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Justice Chinwendu Nworgu, discountenanced all motions and declined jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
Nworgu cited the judgement of James Omotosho of the Abuja High Court, which nullified the activities of the Edison Ehie-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.