The Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dagogo Iboroma, has said that the State High Court neither declared nor affirmed Martin Amaewhule as the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
He also stated that the certified true copy of the court judgment validates the government’s position and did not affirm them as members of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Iboroma, in a statement issued on Wednesday morning, also urged media practitioners to desist from giving interpretations to court judgments by fiat, emotional or other shades of persuasions.
Rather, he advised that they should first obtain the judgment in order to read it thoroughly to gain proper understanding or, at best, seek competent legal advice before going to press.
Iboroma gave the advice after obtaining the certified true copy of the Monday court judgment in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Capital.
Iboroma said: “Yesterday, I briefed the press and made the point that there is a misrepresentation of the judgment of the High Court of Rivers State in Suit No. DHC/20/CS/2024 in social, print, and electronic media.
“My position has been confirmed and vindicated by the Certified True Copy of the court order in Suit No. DHC/20/CS/2024.”
Iboroma stated that a court order embodied the enforceable decisions of a court, adding that in this case in focus, the enforceable orders of the court will necessarily entail the specific pronouncements of the court.
He listed the three orders of the court in the judgement to include: “That this suit be and is hereby dismissed/struck out for want of jurisdiction.
“That the Peoples Democratic Party be and is hereby joined as 4th defendant. That the claimants’ case be and is hereby dismissed for lacking in merit.”
He added, “Contrary to the false claims and misrepresentation in social, print and electronic media, the court did not make a declaration that Martin Amaewhule is the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, neither did it make a declaration that Martin Amaewhule and 26 others are members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Peoples Democratic Party.
“If it were so, it would have been embodied in the court orders which have been circulated to you all and displayed by me here for the purpose of clarity.”
Iboroma regretted that the deliberate ‘misrepresentation’ of Monday’s court ruling was painted in bad light, and the public was misled with such misinformation.
He said: “Whatever finding of fact that is not included in the court order is an Obiter Dictum, which has no binding force.
“Once again, I respectively urge the media to desist from giving any interpretation to any judgement without first reading the content of the judgement and seeking legal advice,” he added.
