A legal advocacy group, Lawyers in Defence of Democracy, has called on the President of the Appeal Court, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, to halt Justice Hamma Barka’s involvement in a sensitive case concerning political disputes in Rivers State.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Okere Kingdom, the group expressed concern over Justice Barka’s alleged move to preside over the case despite the formation of a special panel by the Appeal Court President to handle such matters.
The ongoing political feud between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has led to an upsurge in legal conflicts. These disputes have caused divisions among political actors and conflicting rulings from courts of similar jurisdictions, eroding public trust in the judiciary.
To address the legal chaos, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem established a special panel chaired by Justice Onyekachi Otisi, with Justices Misitura Bokaji-Yusuf and James Abundaga, to oversee appeals related to Rivers State’s political crisis.
The group alleged that Justice Barka’s involvement is problematic due to his perceived connection with Wike, describing him as an “acolyte” of the Minister. They accused Justice Barka of being complicit in judicial bias, particularly in cases linked to Rivers State’s allocation, the dismissal of lawmakers, and other politically sensitive issues.
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The statement emphasized that allowing Justice Barka to preside over these matters could undermine the credibility of the judiciary and damage Justice Dongban-Mensem’s reputation as a fair and impartial jurist.
The Lawyers in Defence of Democracy urged Justice Dongban-Mensem to prevent Justice Barka from presiding over the case currently before the special panel and recommend disciplinary measures against Justice Barka for what they described as “attempted insubordination” and actions detrimental to the judiciary’s integrity.
“The judiciary is the last hope of the common man,” the group declared, emphasizing the need to safeguard its credibility and independence from undue influence.
