Court nullifies Rivers’ recall of N697m ex- gov’s pension from Omehia

•‘ Beneficiary was never governor’

RIVERS State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ruled that Celestine Omehia was never a governor of Rivers State, saying he is not entitled to a pension. The court, however, ruled that he ( Omehia) must not pay back the N697 million paid to him as pensions and fringe benefits by the state government. The court ruled against Rivers State Government and House of Assembly’s demand on Omehia to refund the said amount paid to him as pension and other benefits by the state government up till the time of the previous administration. The court held that Omehia, going by the interpretation of the Governor and Deputy Governor Pension and Free Benefits Law, had never been a former governor of the state and should not have benefited from the pension as stated under the pension law of Rivers State Government. Justice Daketima Koi, in his judgment in a suit filed by Omehia against Rivers State governor, Attorney General of the state, Speaker and House of Assembly, held that the plaintiff could not be made to suffer the wrong of the defendants in the suit. Justice Kio ruled that from every fact, Omehia never applied to be recognised by the state government and state House of Assembly, hence could not legitimately demand the money paid wrongly to the claimant since the demand came in a way of counterclaim or cross action in an originating summon. Counsel for Rivers State Government and House of Assembly, Success Gibert, from the Ministry of Justice, expressed happiness over the judgment that favoured his clients but declined comment on the part that refused the claimant to pay back the money paid to him, insisting that the government would answer that.