The Port Harcourt division of the Rivers State High Court has ruled that Celestine Omehia is not a former governor of Rivers State and as such not entitled to the pensions meant for former governors and their deputies.
Ruling on the matter brought before the court by Omehia, Justice Daketima Kio in a 97-page judgment that took almost three hours to read, however, said that the counterclaim by the state government demanding that Omehia repay N695m was lacking in merit as he hadn’t compelled anyone to pay him the money.
Though the counsel to Omehia refused to comment, the Senior State Counsel Gilbert Success representing the state government said he was satisfied with the ruling. But he refused to disclose whether or not they would be taking any further actions.
Background
After the tenure of Peter Odili expired, Celestine Omehia was elected and sworn in as governor of Rivers State on May 29, 2007.
Rotimi Amaechi headed to court to challenge the primaries that brought in Omehia.
After a legal battle, the court ruled that Amaechi was the validly elected candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
During the tenure of Nyesom Wike as governor of the House of Assembly, he enacted a law recognising Omehia as governor.
In 2023, however, the governor withdrew the recognition accorded to Omehia and demanded that he refund all pensions earned.
Omehia approached the court, demanding that he be recognised as a former governor of the state.
Delivering judgement on Tuesday, Daketima Kio, the presiding judge, held that Omehia is not entitled to pension and other benefits as he is not a former governor of the state.
However, the judge ruled that the demand by the state government for Omehia to refund N695 million “lacked merit because he did not compel anyone to pay him,” TheCable reports.
