The Court of Appeal has affirmed the position of Martins Amaewhule as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, dismissing an appeal that challenged his leadership.
The court ruled that the appeal lacked merit and upheld the judgment of the lower court, imposing a fine of ₦500,000 against the appellant.
The court further declared that any expenditure made by the Rivers State Governor without the appropriation of Speaker Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule is illegal to the extent of those expenditures. It criticized the appellant for treating a court order with disdain, emphasizing that appeals cannot be used to revive matters that have already been decided.
The court also condemned a “sham sitting” led by Edison Ehie, noting that only four out of 31 Assembly members participated in the legislative process. The court expressed disappointment in the Governor’s disregard for court orders, calling it unbecoming of someone with good culture and respect for the rule of law.
