The last may not have been heard on the report of the Rivers
State Commission of Inquiry set up by Governor, Nyesom Wike as a former
governor of the state, Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, claimed that the Friday
judgment of the Supreme Court on the matter has vindicated him.
Amaechi, one of the leading presidential aspirants on the
platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said that his stance on the
report of the commission has been justified by the apex court decision.
His position was contained in a statement by the Media
Office of the presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC),
which reads: “Nigeria’s apex court today ruled on the Appeal filed by Rt. Hon.
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi against the Rivers State Government on the Justice
George Omereji Judicial Commission of Inquiry.
“The Supreme Court in dismissing the appeal pronounced that
the function of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry was mere investigative, that
nobody, neither Amaechi nor anyone else, was on trial before the panel.
“The Supreme Court ruling clearly vindicates the former
Governor of Rivers State. The apex court was categorical and clear that Amaechi
was not on trial.
The implication of this is that any indictment from the
Commission is null and void and cannot stand.
“With this judgment, Amaechi has been vindicated and cleared
of all purported or alleged indictment by the Governor Wike’s Commission.
“It has been further settled that the
decisions/recommendations of the commission of inquiry and subsequent White
Paper issued by the State Government is not a conviction or indictment and
cannot stand.
“From the onset, it was obvious to any discerning mind that
the Commission was set up to embarrass, denigrate and humiliate Amaechi.
“The apex court’s judgment today further buttressed this
stance. A commission purportedly set up to investigate past financial
transactions was actually a commission to personally witch-hunt Amaechi,” the
statement said.
Wike had, shortly after assuming office in 2015 constituted
the Justice George Omeregi-led judicial commission of inquiry to probe the
alleged sale of state assets by the immediate past administration led by
Amaechi.
Amaechi challenged the decision of the governor at the High
Court of Rivers State in a suit marked: PHC/187/15.
In a judgment on August 20, 2015, Justice Simeon Amadi held,
among others, that the judicial commission of inquiry was not established to
investigate the personal activities of the former governor, but set up to
investigate the previous actions of the government as they affect the people of
Rivers State.
On appeal, the Court of Appeal also expressed a similar
view, which was also reflected in the judgment of the Supreme Court on Friday.
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