The Supreme Court has scheduled February 10, 2025, to hear two major suits filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging the validity of the 2024 local government elections in Rivers State. The court also set the same date for five other related cases that center on the ongoing political crisis in the state.
The political upheaval in Rivers State began in October 2023, when a faction loyal to former governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, attempted to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara. In response, Fubara took drastic measures, sealing off the Assembly complex, which led to a series of legal disputes regarding the legitimacy of the three-member Assembly formed by Fubara’s faction. The case has been litigated at multiple courts, including the Rivers State High Court, the Federal High Court, and the Court of Appeal.
The crisis also includes the controversial 2024 local government elections. Despite tensions and legal challenges, the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) scheduled the election for October 5, 2024. The APC, dissatisfied with the arrangements and alleging violations of laws passed by the state House of Assembly under Speaker Martin Amaewhule, took legal action to prevent the election from going forward. The party argued that the tenure of local government chairmen had been unlawfully extended and challenged the use of the voter register in the election.
The legal battle intensified when the Federal High Court in Abuja, under Justice Peter Lifu, temporarily restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voter register to RSIEC and prohibited security agencies from providing support for the election. However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja overturned this decision, ruling that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to issue such orders. The local government election proceeded, with the Action People’s Party (APP) sweeping the contest, winning 22 out of 23 chairmanship seats in the state.
Dissatisfied with the Court of Appeal’s ruling, the APC filed two separate appeals with the Supreme Court (marked SC/CV/1106/2024 and SC/CV/1107/2024), seeking to overturn the appellate court’s decision and reinstate the Federal High Court’s ruling. The APC’s legal team, led by Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) Joseph Daudu and Ogwu Onoja, will argue their case before the Supreme Court.
The five-member panel of justices, led by Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji, consolidated four additional appeals related to the political crisis in Rivers State. These cases involve challenges to the legitimacy of the three-member Assembly and issues surrounding the state’s 2024 budget and the screening of commissioner nominees.
In addition to the APC’s appeals, the court will hear case SC/CV/1071A/2024 concerning a cross-appeal filed by the Rivers State House of Assembly against the National Assembly and 16 other parties.
As the February 10 hearing approaches, legal experts and stakeholders in Rivers State eagerly await the Supreme Court’s rulings, which could have significant implications for the state’s political future and its governance structure.
