Rivers State Government Says It Will Appeal Against Judgment

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  • PDP Rivers Chapters Applauds Ruling

The Rivers State Government today said it with appeal the judgment of Justice Hon Justice Iyaye Lamikanra which has stopped the Judicial Commission Of Inquiry set up by Governor Rotimi Amaechi to look into the State House of Assembly crisis from sitting.
In a statement by the Commissioner of Information and Communications, Ibim Semenitari,  she said; “The Rivers State Government has been informed of the judgment of the Rivers State High Court presided over by the Hon Justice Iyaye Lamikanra restraining the Judicial Commission of Inquiry constituted pursuant to the Rivers State Commission of Inquiry law to examine and make findings with respect to the disturbances on the 9th and 10th of July in the Rivers State House of Assembly which disturbances agitated the peace of the state for those two days and after.”

“For the avoidance of doubt and for purposes of clarification, the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, CON, as Governor of Rivers State has powers under the law to commission an inquiry into any matter or issue, however such matters arose as the enabling law does not state the categories or circumstances in which His Excellency can be prevented from constituting, such inquiries. Consequently, the exercise of such power does not make him a judge any more than the appointment of a High Court Judge also makes him a judge in any matter concerning him before such judge that he appointed. To the extent that the judgment of Justice Iyaye Lamikanra did not recognize this principle, the Rivers state Government does not accept it as well reasoned and shall take steps to appeal against it.”
In the meantime, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,Rivers State chapter has applauded the ruling of a Port Harcourt High Court on Friday August 16, stopped  the Judicial Commission of Enquiry set up by Gov Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi into the crisis rocking the State House of Assembly.
In statement signed by Jerry Needam, Special Adviser on Media to the Rivers State PDP Chairman, Hon Felix Obuah, he said the nullification of the commission and the consignment of any report and, or document from such enquiry to the waste basket of history has vindicated the position of the party that the setting up of the Commission ab initio was ill-intended and had no other motive than to witch-hunt perceived opponents of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who is also a party in the crisis.
Adding further he said;“We are happy and wish to express our renewed confidence in the Nigerian judiciary to uphold justice in the face of intimidation and wanton display of power. Particularly noteworthy is the recognition of the fact that the state legislature is a separate arm of government as significant as both the executive and the judiciary and must not be hijacked by either of the arms.”
The party also said it regretted that though it holds the individual members of the dissolved commission of enquiry in very high esteem that they should in the first instance accept to serve in such illegal commission which it described as a tool for indictment of opponents and probably, also aimed to rubbish the hard earned reputation of the members of the panel.
The party said by this development, the ongoing peace reconciliation of the aggrieved members of the party at both the state and national levels has been given a boost.

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