Appeal Court’s President Sets Up Special Panel Over Rivers’ Crises

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, has instituted a three-member special panel to oversee appeals related to ongoing political crises in Rivers State, including a high-profile dispute between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The special panel, chaired by Justice Onyekachi Otisi, has scheduled its first hearing for Thursday. Other members of the panel include Justices Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf and James Abundaga.

On Monday, a different court panel postponed three appeals associated with the political turmoil in Rivers until the newly formed panel convenes on Thursday to deliberate on the cases. The delay was announced during the mention of the first appeal, when Justice Hamma Barka, who was presiding, noted that certain respondents had not yet been served with court documents. The presiding judge then queried Paul Erokoro, SAN, counsel for the appellant, on how he wished to proceed given the outstanding service.

In response, Erokoro confirmed that efforts would be made to serve the remaining respondents. He highlighted the urgency of the appeal, marked CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1211m1/2024, filed by the Rivers State Government against the House of Assembly and 17 others, stressing that it was one of several cases designated for review by the special panel.

Erokoro also requested an adjournment to November 14, when the panel is expected to formally begin its sittings. Representatives for the respondents, including Ferdinand Orbih, SAN, for the first and second respondents, and Dr. Joshua Musa, SAN, representing the third through twelfth respondents, concurred with the proposed date. Consequently, the court agreed to resume proceedings on November 14.

Two other appeals were also deferred to Thursday: one filed by the Accountant General of Rivers State against the House of Assembly and ten others (case number CA/ABJ/CV/1222m1/2024), and another by the Action Peoples Party (APP) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and 28 others (case number CA/ABJ/CV/1208/2024).

The exact number of cases awaiting the panel’s review is yet to be confirmed.