The Independent Judicial Accountability Panel (IJAP) has criticised Nigeria’s Supreme Court for failing to clarify the legitimacy of defected lawmakers in its recent ruling on the Rivers State political crisis.
In a statement on Friday, the panel, which includes three retired justices of the Court of Appeal, expressed concerns that the apex court’s 28 February judgement did not explicitly address the status of 27 lawmakers who switched allegiance from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in defiance of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Retired Justice Mojeed Owoade, chair of the 11-member panel, noted that while the court acknowledged the defection, it did not provide a definitive ruling on whether the lawmakers’ seats had been legally vacated.
“The judgement of the Supreme Court in the consolidated appeals leaves a gap as to whether the issue of the alleged defection of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly is still alive or has been settled,” Mr Owoade said.
“This is because the court made comments on the issue of defection without actually addressing it.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling on 28 February favoured the defected lawmakers in two of the three cases related to the Rivers crisis.
These judgements led to the suspension of federal allocations to the state until Governor Fubara resubmits the budget to the assembly, as well as the invalidation of local government elections conducted in 2024.
However, the court reserved judgment on the third issue—the lawmakers’ defection—potentially the most politically significant aspect for Mr Fubara.
Mr Owoade suggested that the court should have either remained silent on the matter or ruled explicitly, rather than offering ambiguous remarks that failed to settle the dispute.
“Complex and lengthy judgements of courts defy easy comprehension and therefore undermine public trust,” he warned, adding that judicial ambiguity risks eroding confidence in the legal system.
The panel called on politicians to refrain from interfering in judicial processes and urged the judiciary to remain steadfast in upholding the rule of law.
The controversy has further deepened the political standoff in Rivers State. Earlier this week, the state assembly shut its gates, preventing Governor Fubara from entering the premises.
Lawmakers insisted they had not yet invited him to resubmit the budget, a condition required for the release of federal funds.
On Friday, the lawmakers announced an indefinite recess, a move that could stall the budget resubmission and prolong the crisis.
The Independent Judicial Accountability Panel includes Justices Chinwe Iyizoba and Oludotun Adefope-Okojie, as well as legal and civil society figures such as Okechukwu Ibeanu, Jummai Audi, Mac Imoni Amarere, and Sechap A. Tsokwa.
