Supreme Court slates May 27 for in appeals by Amaechi, Peterside

The Supreme Court, on Monday, slated May 27 to deliver judgments in two appeals filed by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside.

Justice Olukayode Ariwoola announced the date after lawyers to parties adopted their written briefs and made final submissions in the appeals.

A seven-member panel of Justices of the apex court headed by Justice Ariwoola heard the appeal by Amaechi, marked: SC/911/2017, with the Rivers State Government and nine others as respondents.

Adopting the briefs he filed for Amaechi, his lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) urged the court to allow the appeal and set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, while counsel to Rivers State, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) urged the court to dismiss the appeal and affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

Amaechi’s suit at the High Court of Rivers State and Court of Appeal had earlier been dismissed prompting him to approach the Supreme Court.

The Transport Minister is seeking to stop his probe in alleged N96 billion fraud in relation to the state government’s claim that he fraudulently sold the state’s assets.

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Some of the assets are Omoku Gas Turbine, Afam Gas Turbine, Trans Amadi Gas Turbine, Eleme Gas Turbine, Olympia Hotel and the award of contract for the execution of MonoRail Project.

He had challenged the decision by his successor, Nyesom Wike to constitute a seven-man panel to probe his eight-year tenure as governor on the ground that the planned probe is aimed at witch-hunting, embarrass and to humiliate him.

The appeal by Peterside, marked: SC/667/2018 is challenging the N6 billion defamation suit filed against him by former governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili.

Odili had in October 2016 sued Peterside for N6 billion over alleged defamatory statements. The former governor claimed that Peterside, at a press conference in Port Harcourt, defamed him in his allegations that Governor Nyesom Wike’s victory at the Supreme Court was influenced by him.

While making his final submissions on Monday, Peterside’s lawyer, Damian Okoro, urged the court to allow the appeal and grant his client’s reliefs.

Counsel to Odili, Kanu Agabi (SAN) urged the court to dismiss the appeal by Peterside and enter judgment in favour of his client.

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Supreme Court slates May 27 for in appeals by Amaechi, Peterside