The Supreme Court has rejected two appeals filed by the Attorney General of Rivers State and the Speaker of the state’s Assembly. These appeals sought to overturn the leave granted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), allowing it to challenge a 2007 order that prohibited the investigation of Peter Odili’s tenure as governor of the state.
In 2007, Odili secured a perpetual injunction from the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, blocking the EFCC from investigating or arresting him. The court order also prevented the EFCC from probing the finances of the Rivers State Government.
The EFCC later applied to the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal the Federal High Court’s ruling after the deadline, which was granted. However, the Attorney General of Rivers and the Speaker of the state Assembly appealed this decision to the Supreme Court.
On Monday, when the case (SC/CV/318/2018) was called before a five-member panel led by Justice John Okoro, the court inquired about the substance of the appeal. The appellant’s lawyer, S. A. Somiari (SAN), explained that it was an interlocutory appeal regarding the leave granted by the Court of Appeal for the EFCC to challenge the 2007 ruling.
However, Justice Okoro interrupted and pointed out that the matter was not suitable for the Supreme Court at this stage, advising that the case should first be heard in the Court of Appeal. Realizing the court’s stance, Somiari applied to withdraw the appeal, and the EFCC did not oppose the withdrawal.
Justice Okoro ruled that the appeal was dismissed following the withdrawal. The same outcome occurred for a similar appeal (SC/CV/447/2018) filed by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
