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Amaechi gets Supreme Court nod to appeal ruling on his tenure

The governor of Rivers state, Chibuike Amaechi has secured the backing of the Supreme Court to file an appeal seeking to quash a Court of … Continue reading Amaechi gets Supreme Court nod to appeal ruling on his tenure


The governor of Rivers state, Chibuike Amaechi has secured the backing of the Supreme Court to file an appeal seeking to quash a Court of Appeal ruling which gave the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in the state, the right to challenge a judgment of the Federal High Court which declared that Amaechi’s tenure ended in May 29th, 2011.

The judgment which was delivered by Justice Sylvester Nguta allowed 60 days within which he should file his notice of application before the court.

A People’s Democratic Party (PDP), chieftain, Cyprian Chukwu, had in 2010 asked Federal High Court in Abuja to interpret the Supreme Court judgment which in 2007 removed Celestine Omehia from office and pronounced Amaechi as the governor of the state.

Chukwu asked the court to determine whether governorship election should be held in Rivers during the 2011 general election or later since Amaechi took the oath of office in October 2007 and not May 29, when other governors were administered with the oath of office.

Justice Abdul Kafarati of the High Court in his decision said that governorship election in Rivers state must hold during the general elections of April on the basis that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) included Rivers state in the list of states for the general polls.

Upon delivering the Judgment, Omehia who was not joined as a party in the High Court suit then applied to the Court of Appeal to join him to enable him file an appeal against the judgment.

In an affidavit he deposed to, Omehia declared that he contested the election as governor of River state under the APGA flag and that for these two reasons he deserved to be given the chance to challenge the judgment of the High Court which he described as incorrect.

The Court of Appeal found merit in Omehia’s argument and granted him the right to appeal the High Court judgment.

Dissatisfied with the Appeal Court’s ruling, governor Amaechi filed an appeal at the Supreme Court arguing that the Court of Appeal erred in law to have joined Omehia.

In his appeal Mr Amaechi argued that Omehia deliberately refused to tell the Appeal Court Justices that he actually participated in the April 2011 general election on the platform of APGA and lost.

The governor also added that Mr Omehia was a party in the Supreme Court judgment which the High Court judge interpreted, hence that did not confer on him the right to be made a party since no relief was sought against his interest.

While counsel to Mr Amaechi refused to comment on the case, counsel to Mr Omehia said he will abide by the decision of the court but that the appeal brought by the governor is a delay tactics to defer the day of judgment.