The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has debunked media reports that a non-governmental organisation, Integrity Group, secured a court injunction to stop the Senate from screening a ministerial nominee and former governor of the state, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

APC, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday by its publicity secretary, Chris Finebone, said it had searched in all the federal high courts across the country and did not find any such proceedings pending or an order before any court in the country.

The APC said, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement being circulated in the media that Mr. Livingstone Wechie has obtained a court order restraining the Senate from screening Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi as a ministerial nominee.

“Following the announcement, we have made frantic search at the federal high courts across the country and did not find any such proceedings pending or order before any court in the country, the federal high court being the only court that has jurisdiction to determine any matter in which the Senate is made a party and its duties and functions are the subject matter, in view of section 251 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).”

The party stated that State High Court has no power or jurisdiction under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to determine any matter that relates to the function of the Senate, pointing out that judges of the Rivers State Judiciary are aware of the constitutional provision in question.

It said, again, because we are aware of the desperation of the PDP and Mr. Livingstone Wechie on this matter, we have nonetheless carried out a search at the High Court Registry in Rivers State, and no indication that such order exist at the High Court of Rivers, except if such order is given to Wechie in the sitting room of a judge, which we know that no right thinking judicial officer will do so, especially at this time that the National Judicial Council is desirous of sanitizing the Judiciary.

“Clearly, the State High Court has no powers or jurisdiction under the Constitution to determine a matter in which the subject matter relates to the duties or functions of the Senate. The distinguished and judges of the Rivers State High Court are fully aware of this constitutional provision.’’