By Chidimma Okwara,
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit that sought a refund of all Rivers State monies in the Consolidated Revenue Fund that were released, appropriated, and expended by the Sole Administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas.
Here are the key details from the court’s ruling:
Reason for Dismissal: Justice James Omotosho ruled that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to determine the subject matter of the suit because the issues stemmed from the presidential proclamation of a State of Emergency in Rivers State.
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Jurisdiction: The judge held that only the Supreme Court has the exclusive and original jurisdiction to determine the validity of a presidential declaration of a state of emergency.
Void Process: Justice Omotosho declared the originating process filed before the court as void, stating that a void process cannot activate the court’s jurisdiction.
Second Related Suit: The court also dismissed a second suit that challenged Ibas’s power to appoint sole administrators for the state’s 23 local government areas.
In the second suit, the judge ruled that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi (legal right) to file the case, as they were neither the suspended LGA chairmen nor could they file the suit on a matter affecting the general public without proper consent.
Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) was appointed as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State following the declaration of a state of emergency by the President, which has since ended.
