The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the appeal filed by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, challenging the ruling that mandated him to represent the state’s 2024 appropriation bill before the faction of the State House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule.

A five-member panel of justices, led by Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji, dismissed the appeal after Fubara’s legal team, led by Yusuf Ali (SAN), withdrew the case.

The dispute arose after Fubara initially presented the 2024 budget to a five-member House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, argued that the Amaewhule-led faction had ceased to be lawful members of the Assembly following their alleged defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal ruled that Fubara’s decision was unlawful, stating that he failed to provide evidence of the alleged defection of Amaewhule and 27 other lawmakers.

Dissatisfied with the rulings of the lower courts, Fubara had taken the matter to the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the judgments.

However, during Monday’s proceedings, Ali informed the court of a notice of withdrawal filed on February 6, stating that the appeal had been overtaken by events.

Responding, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), representing the Rivers State House of Assembly and Amaewhule, along with Chief Joseph Dauda (SAN), who represented the National Assembly and its leadership, did not oppose the withdrawal but urged the court to dismiss the appeal rather than strike it out.

They also requested a cost of N2 million for each of their clients.

In a brief ruling, Justice Aba-Aji granted the application, dismissed the appeal, and awarded N2 million in costs in favor of the 1st to 12th respondents.