No order stopping Amaechi’s screening, APC insists

The All Progressives Congress has insisted that there is no court order from any part of Nigeria compelling the Senate not to screen the former River State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as a minister.

The party came out with the position in a statement made available to Vanguard following rumours in the social media that the a member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State, one Livingstone Wechie, has secured an injunction stopping the Senate from screening the former governor, who was the Director General of President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation.

The social media became awashed with the story as soon as the AIT scrolled on its information bar that the PDP had secured the said order to stop Amaechi’s screening.

But the APC said there was nothing like that in any court, based on its findings.

A statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, insisted that no court order was given either in Rivers State or in any other court in any part of Nigeria to that effect.

The statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement being circulated in the media that Mr. Livingstone Wechie has obtained a court order restraining the Senate from Screening Rt. Rotimi AMAECHI as a ministerial nominee.

“Following the announcement, we have made frantic search at the Federal High Court across the country and did not find any such proceedings pending or ORDER before any court in the Country, the Federal High Court being the only Court that has jurisdiction to determine any matter in which the Senate is made a party and its duties and functions are the subject matter, in view of Section 251 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

“Again, because we are aware of the desperation of the PDP and Mr. Livingstone Wechie on this matter, we have nonetheless carried out a search at the High Court Registry in Rivers State, and no indication that such Order exists at the High Court of Rivers State, except if such order is given to Mr. Livingstone WECHIE in the sitting room of a Judge, which we know that no right-thinking judicial officer will do so, especially at this time that the National Judicial Council is desirous of sanitising the Judiciary.

“Clearly, the State High Court has no powers or jurisdiction under the Constitution to determine a matter in which the subject matter relates to the duties or functions of the Senate.
“The distinguished and Honourable Judges of the Rivers State High Court are fully aware of this Constitutional provision. We strongly believe that none of them would be drawn into such level of judicial rascality or abuse of office, no matter the inducement or incentive.

“We urge all good people of Rivers State to remain calm and await the Senate Report and action as has been announced by the Most Distinguished Senate President.

The party called on the security agencies to investigate those behind the scam and bring them to book so as to preserve public peace.

“We hereby give notice to the Directorate of State Security Services and the Nigerian Police to investigate this level of misinformation that is capable of breaching the peace.

“We urge them to be vigilant and watch for any attempt to forge and criminally alter documentation at the Rivers State High Court Registry,” the party said.