The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment on the appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to invalidate the results of the October 5, 2024, Local Government elections in Rivers State.
A five-member panel, led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, scheduled the case for judgment after the parties presented their final arguments.
Earlier in the day, the court dismissed an appeal filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, challenging a ruling that required him to re-present the 2024 state budget to the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Fubara argued that the matter had become irrelevant.
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Meanwhile, the Opposition Coalition clarified that no Supreme Court ruling was made against Fubara, despite circulating rumors.
They affirmed that Oko Jumbo remains the legitimate Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
In the appeal, the APC’s lawyers, led by Mr. J. Daudu, requested the Supreme Court to overturn the November 21, 2024, decision by the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, which had refused to annul the election.
On the other hand, Mr. Yusuf Ali, representing Fubara, and Chris Uche, representing the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), sought the dismissal of the appeal.
The Court of Appeal had previously nullified a ruling that prevented the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from providing the RSIEC with the voter register for the LG polls.
The panel, led by Justice Onyekachi Otisi, unanimously ruled that the high court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case, as Section 28 of the Electoral Act only applies to federal elections, not state or Area Council elections.
The Supreme Court also adjourned for judgment on several consolidated appeals concerning the Appeal Court’s decision that lifted the order halting the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing monthly allocations to Rivers State.
This case stems from factional members of the Rivers State Assembly loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike, who had argued for withholding the state’s federal allocations.
Governor Fubara countered, claiming that the Amaewhule-led group was no longer legitimate after defecting from the PDP to the APC.
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