Rivers
Rivers Community, Abuja Hails Supreme Court Judgement
Rivers state indigenes in
Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory have hailed last Friday’s judgement of the Supreme Court which stopped the bid of, Sir Celestine Omehia to unseat the state governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Ameachi.
Sir Omehia had filed an application at the Court of Appeal seeking permission to participate as an interested party in an appeal before the Supreme court challenging the tenure of office of Governor Ameachi and was so granted.
However, the presiding judge, Justice Abdul Kafarati gave judgement in favour of Chukwu, prompting Governor Ameachi to approach the appellate court to quash the decision of the trial court. It was during the hearing of Ameachi’s appeal that Omehia got interested in the case and filed an application at the Appeal Court seeking leave of the appellate court to allow him file processes in the case.
At Friday’s ruling of the apex court, the decision of the Court of Apeal was set aside on the ground that Omehia has no basis to join in the suit, having not fulfilled the condition precedent set by law. The apex court agreed in a unanimous judgement with the submission of Ameachi’s counsel that the Court of Appeal was in error by joining Omeahia in the suit as a party.
The president of Rivers state Community, Abuja, Chief (Barr) Brighten Saagwe, the state liaison officer, Mr John Enebeli, former member of the community’s Board of Trustees and Paramount Ruler of Ozuoha community, Ikwerre LGA, Chief Sam Ordu as well as President of Andoni Progressive Union (APU), Abuja branch, Mr. Fingesi were among Rivers people who reacted to the judgement in separate interviews with The TIDE.
They described the judgement severally as ‘’a welcome development and a big relief as it has put a final stop to the attempt to wrestle power from Governor Ameachi, using the judiciary as a tool and clears the coast legally for Governor Amaechi to continue with the execution of his people oriented-programmes’’.
‘’ To a considerable extent, the judgement is the elixir the governor requires to record more feats in the area of service delivfery so it’s a welcome development’’, they asserted.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Rivers State, Mrs Cordelia M. Peterside (left), addressing staff of Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, during her visit to the corporation last Wednesday. With her are General Manager, RSNC, Mr Celestine Ogolo and Director of Publications, Mrs Juliet Njiowhor.
Rivers
Rivers CJ To Sanction Lawyers Who Refuse To Comply With ADR Compliance
The Rivers state Chief Judge, Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI has given an indication to sanction any lawyer who fail to comply with directive of a judge in the state to transferred a case to Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse for Alternatives Dispute Resolution.
Justice AMADI stated this during a brief ceremony held at the chief judge auditorium in port Harcourt Friday held to hand over certificates of operation to two private ADR chambers on Precarious Dispute Resolution Services and Harmony Arbitration and mediation center .
He urged the two private ADR centres to be diligent in the discharge of their duties and warned against compromising the standard of Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR but should observed the regulations set out in collaboration regulation by the state Multi Door Court House.
Earlier in a address, the Director of the State Multi Door Courthouse, VICTOR NWEKE esq, highlighted some of the achievements of the Multi Door Courthouse especially in decongestion of court rooms.
NWEKE while disclosing how the department certified the two private ADR centres called for serious punitive measures be taken against any lawyer who fail to comply with a case referred to Multi Door Court House by a judge or magistrates in the state.
In her acceptance speech on behalf of the two certified private ADR centres, ALICE NIMI commended the State Judiciary and Multi Door Courthouse for the approval and assured that all the rules and regulations spelt out will be followed.
In a related development; the Rivers State Judiciary has assured its readiness to collaborate with Nigerian Securityding Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC in using Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve some of the issues in their office.
The state Chief Judge , Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI made the promise when he received in audience the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE OLOWO and his team who paid him a courtesy visit in his office , Friday where issuees ADR utilization took centre stage.
He used the opportunity to brief his visitors on the hurdles judges faces daily in the court room and the need for the decongestion of the court room , stressing that one judge handle more than three hundred cases but that if lawyers and litigants adopt ADR practice court rooms can be releive of the daily congestions.
The state Chief Judge however urged NSCDC to ensure a wider sensitization of the members of the public on the practice of ADR for a better awareness and knowledge.
Earlier in his speech, the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE-OLOWO said the visit was to seek collaboration on the use of ADR in resolving some issues which he insisted would help decongest the courtrooms.
Our correspondent reports officials of the Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse led by the Director, VICTOR NWEKE led the team of NSCDC on a technical session where information on how to the fully in cooperated into the Multi Door Courthouse and operation of ADR will be emphasized.
Akujobi Amadi