17th August, 2013
Nigeria’s Rivers State Government on Saturday said it would appeal against the ruling of a Port Harcourt High Court which restrained its Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the House of Assembly crisis.
Mrs Ibim Semenitari, the Commissioner for Information and Communications said Governor Chibuike Amaechi, has power under the law to commission an inquiry into any matter or issue in the state.
“For the avoidance of doubt and for purposes of clarification, Amaechi, as governor of Rivers has powers under the law to commission an inquiry into any matter or issue.
“However, such matters arose as the enabling law does not state the categories or circumstances in which the governor can be prevented from constituting such inquiries,’’ she said.
Semenitari said that the exercise of such power did not make the governor a judge in any matter concerning before the judge that he appointed.
She said the judgment did not recognise this principle and that the government would appeal against the court’s ruling.
The High Court, on Friday ruled that the commission was illegal and unconstitutional.
Justice Iyaye Lamikanra, who delivered the ruling, also restrained the commission from sitting.