“Opposition Coalition Clarifies: Supreme Court Ruling Does Not Affect Oko Jumbo’s Position as Speaker”

The Opposition Coalition has clarified that the Supreme Court’s ruling on Monday did not invalidate the position of Oko Jumbo as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

In a media briefing in Abuja, the spokesperson for the coalition, Ikenga Ugochinyere, rejected claims circulating in some quarters that the court ruling had removed Jumbo from office. He stressed that, contrary to these insinuations, Oko Jumbo remained in charge of the legislature.

Ugochinyere explained that the Supreme Court’s judgment actually favored Governor Siminalayi Fubara, as the ruling stemmed from his withdrawal of the appeal through his lead counsel, Yusuf Ali SAN. He pointed out that Fubara did not lose any case at the Supreme Court, as the governor had voluntarily withdrawn the appeal concerning the 2024 budget, which had already been executed and spent.

“There has been no court ruling in favor of the Pro-Wike lawmakers,” Ugochinyere emphasized. “Governor Fubara withdrew his appeal concerning the 2024 budget because the budget cycle had expired. The Supreme Court struck out the case because the budget had already been fully spent and implemented.”

Ugochinyere urged Governor Fubara to stay focused on providing good governance for the people of Rivers State and to ignore what he described as “political shenanigans.”

He further explained that the Supreme Court’s judgment was a result of Governor Fubara’s voluntary withdrawal of the appeal. In his notice of withdrawal, Fubara informed the court that events had overtaken the case, particularly highlighting that the 2024 budget had already been fully executed, and the 2025 budget was now in effect.

On the issue of the Speaker’s position, Ugochinyere confirmed that Oko Jumbo remained the legitimate Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. He reiterated that the Pro-Wike group, including sacked lawmaker Martin Amaewhule, remained removed from office, and their claims of success in the Supreme Court ruling were misguided.

“To clarify for those unaware, Speaker Oko Jumbo is still in full control of the Rivers State House of Assembly,” Ugochinyere stated. “The pro-Wike lawmakers and their leader, Amaewhule, remain out of office.”