In a landmark decision that could reshape the political climate in Rivers State, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has ordered Governor Siminalayi Fubara to pay ₦5 million in legal costs to 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly aligned with former Governor Nyesom Wike.
The judgment came after a long-standing legal battle between the governor and the lawmakers, who were accused of abandoning their party affiliations and were subsequently challenged in court. However, the Supreme Court upheld the lawmakers’ positions, affirming earlier rulings by the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court which had validated their continued membership in the Assembly.
Justice Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, delivering the Supreme Court’s ruling, made it clear that the 27 lawmakers were still constitutionally recognized, and that the actions taken by Governor Fubara to sideline or discredit them were without legal basis. As a result, the Court awarded ₦5 million as costs in favour of the lawmakers.
This ruling is a major win for the Wike-aligned faction of the Assembly and adds a new layer of complexity to the political tensions currently brewing in Rivers State. While the governor is yet to officially respond to the judgment, political analysts believe this could lead to renewed efforts at negotiation or further confrontations within the state’s political structure.
The case has been closely followed by both political observers and citizens of Rivers State, many of whom see it as a test of legal boundaries in inter-party conflicts and the independence of legislative offices in Nigeria.
As the dust settles, all eyes remain on how Governor Fubara will respond—not only to the Supreme Court’s order but to the broader implications of this legal defeat.
