Former NBA President and ex-Rivers Attorney-General OCJ Okocha, SAN, has criticized attempts to reduce the Rivers State legislature to just three individuals, citing recent judicial pronouncements to support his position.
Speaking on a video in TVC TV from 8:22, the senior legal practitioner referenced a recent appellate court decision to challenge claims about the composition of the state legislature: “Anybody who read the Judgment of the court of appeal a few days ago, one telling statement,” he began, before delivering his key point: “It is a joke taken too far for three persons to say that they are the legislator of the River State.”
Emphasizing his point, Okocha repeated: “It is a joke taken too far.”
The distinguished lawyer then pointed to the existing legislative structure: “Look at the legislator of Rivers State led by Honourable Martin Amaewhule.”
This intervention from one of Nigeria’s most respected legal voices comes amid ongoing controversy over the composition and legitimacy of the Rivers State House of Assembly. Political observers note that Okocha’s comments, backed by his reference to the Appeal Court judgment, add significant weight to the debate about legislative representation in the state.
The former NBA President’s statement has attracted particular attention given his standing in Nigeria’s legal community and his intimate knowledge of Rivers State politics and governance structures.
Legal analysts suggest that this interpretation of the Appeal Court’s judgment could have far-reaching implications for the resolution of the current political crisis in Rivers State, particularly regarding the recognition of legislative authority.