Controversy as Wike allegedly disbands special Appeal Court panel over Rivers LG election ruling

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reportedly ordered the discreet dissolution of a Special Court of Appeal panel in Abuja that recently delivered a favorable ruling on the Rivers State Local Government Elections.

The panel, led by Justice Onyekachi Otisi, upheld the validity of local government elections conducted under the administration of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

It overturned an earlier Federal High Court judgment barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).

The appellate court ruled that the lower court lacked jurisdiction, citing Section 28 of the Electoral Act, which excludes state-conducted elections from its provisions.

“The Electoral Act does not apply to local government elections, and the lower court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the appeal,” the ruling stated.

However, sources claim that Wike, dissatisfied with the ruling, has reached out to senior judicial officers to orchestrate the disbandment of the panel.

The move has sparked concerns about judicial independence and transparency in addressing election-related disputes.

The Rivers State Local Government Elections have been a subject of contention, with stakeholders divided over the legalities of the process.

The new panel approved by Wike is litigating on the matter from Abuja, where Wike’s wife is also a senior judge.

Wike is also enraged over the decision of the accountant general to pay Rivers allocation based on what he claimed was a mere “stay of execution.”

“The panel that sat to hear the new appeal was headed by Justice Hamah Barka and it also has Justice Adebukola Banjoko and Justice Peter C. Obiora.

Wike got upset and reached out to Senior Judicial officers and fixers. He secretly disbanded the first panel that gave the favourable ruling,” SaharaReporters quoted a source as saying.

“Ironically, Justice Barka had recused himself from the Rivers State issue in the panel earlier set for the same purpose, saying he was under attack by some forces claiming he was compromised,” the source further revealed.

“The new panel approved by Wike is litigating on the matter from Abuja Where Wike’s wife is also a senior judge,” the source added.

“Wike is also enraged over the decision of the accountant general to pay Rivers allocation based on what he claimed was a mere “stay of execution.”

The federal government had initially said it would halt the October monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) revenue payment to Rivers State, citing a court order as the reason. However, the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) later cited a subsisting appeal, saying that the allocation could not be stopped.

Within the week, News360 Nigeria reported that Governor Fubara had approached the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja to overturn the judgement that barred the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, from releasing monthly allocations to Rivers State. The governor claimed the High Court judgement was given in bad faith.