LG arson: Rivers panel summons Wike, Okocha

The Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate the destruction of some local government secretariats has summoned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The commission asked Wike, the immediate-past governor of the state, to appear before it on November 19, 2024.

The summons was contained in an advertorial by the commission, titled “Summons under section 7&8 of the Rivers State Commission of enquiry law, Cap 30,” dated November 12 but released on Thursday.

It was signed by the Chairman of the panel, Justice I. R. Minakiri and obtained by our correspondent.

It said Wike’s invite followed calls by some persons from Emuoha Local Government Area who submitted a memorandum to the commission along with downloaded video clips from the internet.

The panel further said a copy of the summon and the video clips had been sent to the FCT Minister by courier service.

Justice Minakiri advised Wike to listen to the clip and take necessary action over the content of the video.

The document read, “Pursuant to the call and receipt of memoranda by the judicial commission of inquiry into the arson, killings and wanton destruction of property at some local government council headquarters in Rivers State, a very pertinent message conveyed to the public, by direct statement and in songs by some persons in a video clip posted on the internet, downloaded and submitted by the Emohua Local Government Council concerning Your Excellency, Nyesom Wike, former governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, places a demand on the commission to respectfully call Your Excellency for reaction before the commission.

“A copy of this summons has been sent to Your Excellency along with the said video clip by courier service, for Your Excellency’s ease of listening and necessary reaction.

“By the invitation, Your Excellency’s reaction is expected before the commission on 19th November 2024. Time: 11 am. Venue: Block C, Court 15, Rivers State High Court Complex, Port Harcourt.

“Please take note that the Commission will conclude sitting on the 21st November, 2024.”

Also summoned to appear before the panel was the chairman of the All Progressives Congress Caretaker Committee in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, who is an ally of the FCT minister.

Others were the former chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Dr Samuel Nwanosike; the former local government chairmen of Eleme, Ahoada West, Obio/Akpor LGAs, Obarilomate Ollor, Hope Ikiriko and George Ariolu respectively, who are all expected to appear before the commission on November 18, a day before Wike’s appearance.

The PUNCH recalls that aside from Wike and Okocha who are the latest additions, the commission, on October 28, 2024, summoned 109 persons across LGAs where post-election violence was recorded to appear before it, in connection with the disturbances.

A’Court reserves judgments on Rivers cases

The special panel set up to adjudicate on the political cases in River State by the Court of Appeal, Abuja division, on Wednesday, reserved judgment in the consolidated appeals contesting the decision of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court.
The three-member panel of justices, led by Justice Onyekachi Otisi, announced that judgment in the appeals would be reserved after counsel for parties in the appeals adopted their briefs and final processes for and against the appeals.
Afterwards, Justice Otisi announced that a date for the judgment would be communicated to parties to the appeals.
She said “The appeals are now reserved. We will see you on judgment day.”
In one of the appeals before the appellate court, bordering on the Rivers local government election, Justice Lifu barred the Independent National Electoral Commission from releasing the voter register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission for the conduct of the state local government polls which has now been conducted.
The election was held on October 5, 2024.
The suit was filed by the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress.
Justice Lifu, while delivering judgment in the suit, criticised RSIEC for setting October 5 as the election date without adhering to the relevant laws governing the conduct of the election.
The decision of the lower court resulted in the filing of multiple appeals and cross-appeals before the appellate court, challenging the judgment.
In another suit brought before the court by some members of the Rivers State chapter of the PDP who were said to be loyal to Wike, Justice Lifu restrained the national leadership of the PDP from dissolving the newly elected executive of the party in the state.
Specifically, he restrained the PDP Governors’ Forum, the National Working Committee and the Board of Trustees of the party from tampering with or dissolving the executive of the PDP from the wards up to the state chapter of the party in Rivers State.
Besides, the defendants, by the court’s ruling, are not to constitute an interim committee to replace the party officers at the state, local government, and ward levels.
In an enrolled order, Justice Lifu warned that on no ground should the tenure of the Rivers PDP executive committees at the state, local governments and wards level be truncated by the defendants.
The judge also ordered that the defendants must not allow or permit any other group or persons to perform the duties and functions of the PDP state, local governments, and ward officers elected between July 27 and August 31, 2024.
The plaintiffs in the ex-parte application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1396/2024, are Aaron Chukwuemeka, Oye Fubara Igenewari and ThankGod Bekee, who sued on behalf of themselves and state, local governments and ward executive committees respectfully.
The defendants are PDP, Umar Damagun, Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature, NWC, NEC, BoT, INEC and Alhaji Bala Mohammed of the PDP Governors Forum as first to ninth defendants respectively.
In the ex parte motion argued by their counsel, Joshua Musa (SAN), the plaintiffs alleged that the defendants were making clandestine moves to dissolve the legally constituted state, local governments and ward executive committees of PDP in Rivers State.
At the teamed hearing, the consolidated appeals that arose from Justice Lifu’s judgment included appeals numbers CA/ABJ/CV/1151/2024 between the Social Democratic Party against the APC and three others; CA/ABJ/CV/1152/2024; between Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission and APC and four others; CA/ABJ/CV/1153/2024 between Attorney General of Rivers State against the APC.
The panel ruled that other appeals relating to the subject matter shall abide by the judgment in CA/ABJ/CV/1152/2024; between Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission against APC and four others.
In the appeals, Yusuf Ali (SAN) appeared for the appellant in CA/ABJ/CV/1152/2024; between Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission and APC and four others; Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Chris Uche (SAN), appeared for the third respondent.
Meanwhile, the panel adjourned some of the appeals to January 23, 2025, for a hearing.
Some of the adjourned appeals by the panel are CA/ABJ/CV/122mi/2024 between the Accountant General of Rivers State and the Rivers State House of Assembly; CA/ABJ/1208/2024 between Action Peoples Party and INEC and 28 others; CA/ABJ/CV/1142/2024 between Alhaji Bala Mohammed and Aaron Chukwuemeka; CA/ABJ/CV/1182/2024 between Peter Ohochukwu against APC, RSIEC and others.