The Rivers State House of Assembly has formally requested that the Department of State Services (DSS) look into claims of age falsification against Justice Simeon Amadi, the state’s chief judge, according to the SYMFONI TV report. Following a presentation by House Leader Honorable Major Jack during a plenary session on Thursday, this action might have major ramifications for the state’s courts.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
The plenary, held at the Assembly’s chambers in Port Harcourt, became tense when Speaker Martins Amaewhule, addressed the assembly, presenting documents that suggested Justice Amadi may have falsified his age while in office. Amaewhule described the issue as highly significant, stating, “These documents before me simply say that the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Simeon Amadi, falsified his age in service. Mr. Speaker, that is a very serious allegation, and I do hope that this House takes legislative notice.”
The issue has intensified with claims that the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has directed civil servants and government officials in Rivers State not to engage with the assembly. Honorable Amaewhule elaborated on the situation, saying, “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of River State, has directed civil servants, in fact, all government officials in River State, never to appear before this assembly, never to answer questions, never to help this very constituted River Assembly.”
Amaewhule criticized the governor’s directive, adding, “Let me put it this way, the governor has said to all of them, don’t appear before the assembly, don’t answer their questions, don’t honor their invitations, don’t assist them in investigations. With that directive in place, most of them refuse when we summon them to appear here.” He went on to explain that due to this lack of cooperation, the assembly has been forced to rely on federal agencies for assistance. “If they were appearing before us or assisting us in investigations, we probably would have started looking at how to look at the records. But since they don’t come, we will work with what we have.”
The call for the DSS investigation comes at a time when the integrity of the state judiciary is under scrutiny, and the outcome of the investigation could have significant implications for both Justice Amadi and the wider political landscape in Rivers State.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
