Justice John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, has denied a request from Human Rights Lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, to reassign a suit filed by the Martin Amaewhule faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly against the Rivers State government and others to the Port Harcourt Division of the court.
The suit concerns the withholding of funds allocated for local governments in Rivers State. Falana cited potential bias from the Abuja Judicial Division, highlighting that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, an interested party in the case, has announced plans to build housing for judges in the Katampe District of the FCT.
In response to Falana’s concerns, Justice Tsoho, in a letter dated October 25 and signed by his Special Assistant Joshua Ibrahim, advised that such a request should be made formally through a Motion on Notice. This would allow the trial judge to consider the reasons for the request and issue a ruling accordingly.
The letter emphasized, “I am directed by His Lordship, the Honourable, the Chief Judge to inform you that this application should be judicially made by Motion on Notice so that the Judge is afforded the opportunity to know the reasons for it and deliver a ruling accordingly.”
Justice Tsoho is currently under scrutiny by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, over conflicting rulings related to Rivers State matters.
