The African Human Rights Centre has expressed profound concern over an alleged leaked ruling, the contents of which are intended to legally reinstate the dismissed members of the Rivers State House of Assembly associated with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The group is now calling for a thorough investigation by the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the alleged actions of Justice Donatus Okoro of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who is reportedly implicated in the preparation of the said ruling.

Barrister Chioma Udonsi, the Director of Operations and Programmes Development at the centre, issued a statement on Sunday outlining the group’s concerns and calling on legal professionals to take a stand against what they perceive as a threat to the rule of law and democracy in Nigeria.

Udonsi underscored the urgency of the situation, revealing that a leaked draft of the alleged ruling, which is purported to affirm the reinstatement of the sacked lawmakers, was inadvertently shared within a WhatsApp platform.

The leaked judgment, intended for Justice Okoro’s court, has been described as a document that seeks to legitimatize the activities of the lawmakers and pave the way for the impeachment of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

The leaked ruling, dated December 18, 2023, and allegedly authored by Justice Donatus Okoro, has raised eyebrows due to its contents and the circumstances surrounding its preparation.

The document implies a recognition of factionalism within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and contends that the lawmakers, who had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), required protection from having their seats declared vacant by the Rivers State House.

The African Human Rights Centre contends that this apparent abuse of power by the court and its alleged cohorts warrants immediate attention from the NJC and the EFCC. The group urges both institutions to investigate what may have influenced Justice Okoro’s actions, thereby raising questions about the integrity of the judiciary and the broader democratic processes in Nigeria.

This development comes in the wake of an interim order from the Rivers State High Court restraining the factional Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, and his deputy, Hon. Dumle Maol, from forcibly gaining access to the Assembly complex. The situation has added complexity with 27 members of the House of Assembly defecting from the PDP to the APC.

As this alleged leaked ruling gains attention, the world watches how the NJC and the EFCC will respond to the call for an investigation into what appears to be a questionable judicial process with potential far-reaching consequences.
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