Court rejects Omehia’s request to be recognised as former Rivers Governor

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Tuesday dashed the hope of Sir Celestine Omehia of being a beneficiary of the entitlements given to former Rivers State Governors.

This is just as the court ruled that Sir Celestine Omehia is not legally recognisable as a former Governor of Rivers State and as such is not entitled to the recognition, pension and fringe benefits of a former Governor.

The court, in a judgement read by Justice Daketima Kio of the Rivers State High Court, held that upon a broad, wholistic and proper interpretation of the Rivers State former Governors and Deputy Governors Pension and Fringe benefits law No 6 of 2012, Sir Omehia could not establish a legal right to be entitled to the declarative and injunctive relives sought to be recognized as former Rivers State Governor, and therefore is not entitled to life pension and other fringe benefits accrueable to Governors under the law.

The Court also ruled against the request by the Rivers State Government and the House of Assembly for Mr. Celestine Omehia to refund N696,520,355.40 paid to him by past administration, which Mr. Omehia claimed he has already spent and can’t refund.

Justice Kio said that from the records at his disposal, Omehia never applied to be recognised by the state government nor the State House of Assembly, hence the state government cannot legitimately demand a refund of the monies wrongly paid to him.

The Judge further said that beyond the woeful failure of the claimant to prove his case, the court which is of subordinate jurisdiction has the duty to follow the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Ameachi vs INEC which had described Omehia as an impostor and pretender, ordering that Omehia should not be conferred with the status of a former governor, and should not benefit from the pension of governors and deputy governors.

He also declined to award cost in favour or against any party in the suit, declaring that the parties bear their costs.

“Once the Supreme Court takes a decision that decision has the backing of the constitution.

“This court therefore finds and holds that the perceived rights to the relief sought by the claimant is irrevocably extinguished by the Judgement of the Supreme Court in Rt. Hon. Rotimi Ameachi against INEC and two others which held that Omehia remains no more than a pretender to the office of Governor of Rivers State.

Speaking with newsmen outside the courtroom, counsel for the Rivers State government and House of Assembly, Success Gilbert, expressed happiness over the judgment.

Meanwhile, counsel for Omehia, Seraki Orlu, declined comments.

Recall that in 2007, Celestine Omehia substituted former governor and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate prior to the general elections.

However, after the elections, Omehia won and was sworn in May 29, 2007 after the administration of Dr. Peter Odili.

Five months later, Omehia was sacked by the Supreme Court and declared that Amaechi was the validly elected candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, who initially won the party’s primaries before the party wrongly substituted him. Omehia was replaced in October by Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as Governor.

However, when Nyesom Wike took over as governor of Rivers State, the House of Assembly, enacted a law recognising Omehia as former governor of the state, and paid him his entitlements till.

Surprisingly in 2023, Wike as the then Governor after falling apart with Omehia, withdrew the governorship recognition accorded Omehia and demanded that he refund all pensions he had received over the years.

Omehia however approached the court, seeking a declaration that he be recognised as a former governor of the state.