The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the decision of the Federal High Court, which nullified the N800 billion budget passed by five members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by the Edison Ehie group.
In a judgment on Thursday, a three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Joseph Oyewole, held that the appeal filed by the River State Governor against the January 22 judgment was unmeritorious.
Justice Oyewole, who authored and read the lead judgment, held that, having failed to challenge the case at the trial court, by withdrawing all the processes (documents) he filed against the suit, cannot turn around to now seek to appeal the judgment.
Justice Omotosho had, in the January 22 judgment, described the passage of the Rivers State’s 2024 Appropriation Bill by the five lawmakers, led by Ehie Edison, as an aberration and illegality.
He consequently ordered Governor Fubara to represent the budget to the Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly.
