Appeal Court Set Up 3 Member Special Panel To Hear All Cases on Rivers Crises: Set Thursday To Begin Sitting

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, yesterday set up a three-member special panel to hear all appeals relating to the political disputes in Rivers State, including the one between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the House of Assembly.

The panel, chaired by Justice Onyekachi Otisi, has scheduled its first sitting for Thursday.

Other members of the panel are Justices Misitura Bokaji-Yusuf and James Abundaga, reports The Nation.

Yesterday, a panel of the court adjourned three appeals relating to the crises till Thursday for the consideration of the Justice Otisi-led special panel.

At the mention of the first appeal, Justice Hamma Barka, who presided, noted that the 13th to 18th defendants were not yet served.

Justice Barka then asked the appellant’s lawyer, Paul Erokoro (SAN) how he wanted the court to proceed in view of the non-service on some of the respondents.

Responding, Erokoro said in view of the non-service on some of the parties, the appellant shall take steps to ensure service on them.

He said the appeal, marked: CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1211m1/2024 filed by the Government of Rivers State against the Rivers State House of Assembly and 17 others, “is one of those Rivers matters for which a special panel was constituted.”

Erokoro told the court that some of the respondents have just served some processes on him, to which he needed to file replies.

He urged the court to adjourn till November 24 when the panel will commence sitting.

Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), who appeared for 1st and 2nd respondents, and Dr. Joshua Musa (SAN) for the 3rd to the 12th respondents, agreed to the date suggested by Erokoro.

The two other appeals that were equally adjourned till Thursday include the one filed by the Accountant General of Rivers State against the Rivers State House of Assembly and 10 others (marked: CA/ABJ/CV/1222m1/2024) and the other by Action Peoples Party (APP) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and 28 others (marked: A/ABJ/CV/1208/2024).

It could, however, not be ascertained the total number of appeals awaiting the panel’s attention.