The Supreme Court has dismissed two appeals by the Rivers State Attorney-General and the Speaker of the House of Assembly, who are seeking to set aside the leave granted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to challenge an order prohibiting the investigation of Peter Odili’s tenure as governor of the state.
In 2007, Odili got a court injunction preventing the EFCC from investigating or arresting him.
The court order also restrained the commission from probing the finances of the Rivers State Government when Odili was the governor.
However, the EFCC sought leave from the Court of Appeal to challenge the Federal High Court’s ruling beyond the stipulated time.
The appellate court granted the request, prompting the Attorney-General and the Speaker of the State Assembly to take the matter to the Supreme Court
At the day’s hearing, a five-member panel of the apex court led by John Okoro sought clarity on the case’s substance.
I. A. Somiari, the appellant’s lawyer, told the panel that the matter was an interlocutory appeal challenging the Court of Appeal’s decision to grant the EFCC leave to appeal the 2007 orders issued by the federal high court.
But Justice Okoro interjected and advised all parties to return to the Court of Appeal to have the substantive appeal heard before proceeding to the Supreme Court.
Acknowledging the court’s position, Somiari applied to withdraw the appeal.
Counsel for the respondents did not oppose the application.
The court ruled that the “appeal is dismissed, having been withdrawn without any objection.”
