A Rivers StateCourt in Port Harcourt delivered a striking verdict, denying the demand by the state government and House of Assembly for Sir Celestine Omehia to repay over N696 million received as pension and benefits.
The court’s ruling hinged on the interpretation of pension laws, asserting that Omehia, deemed an “imposter and pretender” by the Supreme Court, lacked the status of a former governor and thus should not profit from such benefits.
Justice Daketima Kio, presiding over the case, emphasized that Omehia never sought recognition from the state government, rendering the demand for repayment illegitimate.
While the judgment pleased the state’s legal representatives, it stirred controversy regarding Omehia’s obligation to return the funds received before his derecognition.
In a nuanced response, Success Gilbert, counsel for the state, refrained from commenting on the repayment issue, deferring the decision to the government.
The Punch quoted him as saying, “Today, the court in its wisdom, held that in the eyes of the law, affirming the decision of the celebrated case of Rotimi Amaechi versus INEC, that Sir Celestine Omehia was never a former governor and should not be accorded that status.
“And therefore, he is not entitled to benefit from the Rivers State Former Governors and Former Deputy Governors Pensions Law and Fringe benefits because he is not entitled and therefore he should not be recognised.
“That is the decision of the court in this matter.”
Amidst the legal intricacies, Omehia’s counsel, Seraki Orlu, opted not to provide commentary on the ruling.
MUK TV recalls that when Nyesom Wike, now the FCT Minister, held sway as the Governor of Rivers State, in a palpable demonstration of political uppity to rattle former governor Rotimi Amaechi, he reinstated Omehia as a former governor and paid him all the emoluments owed him.
However, in a dramatic political fallout that ensued after that, he was derecognized by the state House of Assembly before the 2023 elections.
This stemmed from his support for a rival presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), triggering a rift with his benefactor, Wike.
