Rivers: The court convenes a special panel and holds a hearing on Thursday

A special three-member panel has been established by the Abuja Court of Appeal to hear political cases from Rivers State; sessions are set to start on Thursday, November 14.

This action comes after a growing legal battle between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

State legal issues have increased as a result of the feud, dividing political players and producing contradictory rulings from courts with comparable jurisdiction. This problem has been criticized by the public and judiciary stakeholders.

Court of Appeal President Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem established a special panel to supervise all appeals pertaining to the political crisis in Rivers in an attempt to expedite the settlement of these conflicts.

The panel will consider issues involving important political figures and factions in the state, led by Justice Onyekachi Otisi and consisting of Justices Misitura Bokaji-Yusuf and James Abundaga.

In addition to cases involving the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress over the purported defection of 27 Wike-aligned members from the PDP to the APC, the appeals that will be considered include one filed by Governor Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Three appeals, including one brought by the Rivers State Government against the Rivers State House of Assembly and others, were postponed by a panel of the court during Monday’s sessions so that the new special panel could hear them.

The appeal, designated CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1211m1/2024, is one of the Rivers instances for which a special panel was established, according to presiding Justice Hamma Barka.

The appellant’s senior attorney, Chief Paul Erokoro, told the court that arrangements were being made to guarantee that all respondents who had not yet been served would obtain the required paperwork by Thursday.

Additionally, he mentioned that he needed time to write his response because he had just received some files from the respondents.

Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), the counsel for the first and second respondents, and Dr. Joshua Musa (SAN), the counsel for the other respondents, approved the November 14 adjournment motion.

The Otisi-led special panel also postponed hearings in two other claims, one from the Action Peoples Party against the Independent National Electoral Commission and others, and another from the Rivers State Accountant General against the Rivers State House of Assembly, until Thursday.

In the midst of Rivers State’s ongoing political unrest, the formation of this panel is a crucial step toward reestablishing order by offering a swift and transparent resolution to the political conflicts.