A five-member panel of Supreme Court justices led by Uwani Abba-Aji Friday, in the unanimous judgement read by Emmanuel Agim, affirmed the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule as the authentic and legally constituted lawmaking body in the state.
The court also restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) from further releasing budgetary allocations to Rivers State until a valid Appropriation Act is passed by a lawfully constituted House of Assembly.
In a unanimous judgement, on Friday, the panel ordered that Amaewhule and other 26 members of the assembly, who were alleged to have defected, should be allowed to resume legislative duties unhindered.The Supreme Court further ordered that all members of the House of Assembly are to resume normal legislative businesses without any hindrance to any members.
Agim condemned the conduct of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who he said resorted to acting unlawfully by pulling down the House of Assembly owing to his fear that there were moves to remove him from office.
The Supreme Court set aside the earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal, in which the appellate court held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction on cases relating to funds belonging to Rivers State.
The panel equally awarded a cost of N5 million against Mr Fubara and the Government of Rivers State, to be paid to the Rivers State House of Assembly and Mr Amaewhule.