{"id":8536,"date":"2013-08-18T00:39:53","date_gmt":"2013-08-18T00:39:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disnaija.com\/nigerian-newspapers\/rivers-to-appeal-court-order-restraining-judicial-inquiry-into-assembly-crisis\/"},"modified":"2013-08-18T00:39:53","modified_gmt":"2013-08-18T00:39:53","slug":"rivers-to-appeal-court-order-restraining-judicial-inquiry-into-assembly-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disnaija.com\/rivers-to-appeal-court-order-restraining-judicial-inquiry-into-assembly-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Rivers To Appeal Court Order Restraining Judicial Inquiry Into Assembly Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"
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THE Rivers State Government says it will appeal the judgement of a Port Harcourt High Court restraining the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the crisis that rocked the State House of Assembly on the July 9 and 10, 2013.<\/p>\n

The Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Leyii Kwanee, has accused the anti-Governor Chibuike Amaechi Five of using the judiciary to frustrate efforts to unearth the causes of the bloody fracas that erupted on the floor of the Assembly, particularly on July 9.<\/p>\n

Rivers State Commissioner of Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, Saturday, said the state government has been informed of the judgment of the Rivers State High Court presided by 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 July 9 and 10 in the Rivers State House of Assembly, which disturbances agitated the peace of the state for those two days and after.<\/p>\n

    \u201cFor 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,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

   She further said: \u201cConsequently, 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.<\/p>\n

  \u201cTo the extent that the judgment of Justice Iyaye Lamikanra did not recognise this principle, the Rivers state Government does not accept it as well reasoned and shall take steps to appeal against it.\u201d<\/p>\n

   On his part, the Deputy Speaker told The Guardian that he was worried by the court\u2019s order restraining the judicial commission headed by Justice Biobele A. Georgewill, from unravelling what really happened on the floor of the House.<\/p>\n

   He said it appears one of the lawmakers opposed to the governor, Victor Ihunwo, is trying to use the judiciary to frustrate efforts aimed at restoring peace to the state legislature.<\/p>\n

   \u201cI am worried by attempt to use the judiciary to thwart efforts to bring about peace in the state. 27 of us have submitted ourselves to the commission, so the effort to use the judiciary to frustrate the panel\u2019s proceedings is worrisome. Those who don\u2019t have anything to hide should also submit themselves to the panel because the people need to know what actually happened on July 9,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

   Kwanee revealed that the state legal team is studying the judgement with a view to appeal it and have it upturned at the appellate court, which would be presided by a panel of justices.<\/p>\n

   He said there was no way peace could be achieved or restored to the House of Assembly if the judicial commission is barred from discharging its legal duties.<\/p>\n

   Delivering his judgment on Friday, Justice Iyaye, restrained the commission headed by Justice Biobele A. Georgewill, from further sitting to investigate the crisis that broke out on the floor of the State Assembly following a botched attempt to illegally impeach the Speaker, Otelemaba Amachree.<\/p>\n

   Justice Iyaye noted that the principle of natural justice forbids the Rivers State Governor from constituting a panel to investigate a crisis in which he is an interested party. According to him, only a regular court is competent to inquire or try anyone on the bloody crisis that erupted on the floor of the Assembly.<\/p>\n

   The court then restrained the Rivers State Government from receiving or acting on any recommendations submitted to it by the Justice Georgewill-led commission, which had just on Thursday ordered the State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, Ihunwo and others to file in their responses to the memoranda submitted by the Speaker, Mr. Amachree, the Leader of the House, Chidi Lloyd and 25 pro- Governor Amaechi lawmakers by 20th of August.<\/p>\n

   Ihunwo had filed a suit in a Port Harcourt High court presided by Justice Lamenkara Iyaye seeking to prohibit the judicial commission of inquiry into the crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly from investigation the crisis that rocked the House on July 9 and 10, respectively.<\/p>\n

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. <\/a>A DisNaija.Com<\/a> network.<\/p>\n

Source: Guardian Newspaper<\/p>\n

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