The Rivers State High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, the state capital, has struck out a suit challenging the legality of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s intervention to resolve the political crisis in the state.
The court struck out the suit for lack of jurisdiction.
The case was filed by 10 representatives of sons and daughters of Rivers State, led by His Highness Anabs Sara-Igbe against President Tinubu, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, House of Assembly Speaker Martin Amaewhule, the state House of Assembly, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The plaintiffs had sought the constitutional interpretation of the peace accord the President brokered in the state to know whether or not the directives contained in the documents to resolve the political impasse was not at variance with the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
They also sought to know whether or not the President had the legal right to direct the governor to re-present this year’s budget to 24 members of the House of Assembly, led by Martin Amaewhule, even after their seats were declared vacant.
The applicants also demanded to know whether or not 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 or not the 24 House of Assembly members, led by Amaewhule, after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), still have the rights to be members of the legislator.
But when the matter came up yesterday, the presiding judge, Justice Chinwendu Nworgu, discountenanced all motions and declined jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
The judge cited the judgment of James Omotosho of Abuja High Court, which nullified the activities of the Edison Ehie-led faction of the Assembly.