‘Supreme Court Did Not Stop Us From Possessing Bayelsa Properties’

Rivers State government has debunked media reports that the Supreme Court has stopped it from taking possession of three properties belonging to the Bayelsa State government.

The state government had taken possession of the properties, situated at Plots 34, 35 and 37 Akassa Street, Old GRA, Port Harcourt over alleged refusal of Bayelsa Government to maintain them.

Some media houses in Port Harcourt had reported that the Supreme Court, on Tuesday issued a restraining order stopping the Rivers State government from going forward to take full possession of the properties.

But, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday, Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Zacchaeus Adangor, said the apex court did not issue any restraining order against the state government.

The statement reads in part: “My attention has been drawn to a news item on some radio stations airing within Rivers State suggesting that the Supreme Court has in the case of Attorney- General of Bayelsa State v Attorney- General of Rivers State concerning the Notice of Vacation served by the Rivers State Government on occupants of the  property situated at Plots 34, 35 and 37 Akassa Street, Old GRA Port Harcourt, restrained the Rivers State government from taking possession of the said property.

“I want to state categorically that the Supreme Court did not issue any such restraining Order against the Rivers State Government during the proceedings that held on Tuesday 23rd May, 2023. As the attorney- general of Rivers State who appeared personally in the matter before the apex court on the said date, the truth of the matter is that the Supreme Court refused to entertain both the ex-parte application for interim injunction and the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction filed by the Hon. attorney-general of Bayelsa State.

“The apex court held that it would rather hear the originating summons and deliver a final judgment. The court accordingly adjourned the matter to 15/01/2024 for hearing of the originating summons. No restraining order was issued by the Supreme Court.”