The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed appeals from the Attorney General of Rivers State and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, allowing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate former Governor Dr. Peter Odili’s eight-year tenure. This ruling clears a significant legal hurdle that has prevented the EFCC from scrutinizing Odili’s administration since a 2007 injunction.
The Supreme Court’s decision, delivered by a five-member panel led by Justice John Okoro, follows a prolonged legal battle initiated when Odili obtained a perpetual injunction from the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, which barred the EFCC from investigating his financial dealings.
The EFCC’s efforts to contest this injunction began in 2008, but it was not until 2018 that the Court of Appeal granted permission for the EFCC to appeal the 2007 order. This prompted the subsequent appeals to the Supreme Court.
During the recent proceedings, Justice Okoro suggested that the matter was interlocutory and advised the parties to return to the Court of Appeal for a substantive hearing. The appeals were subsequently withdrawn without objection, leading to their dismissal.
This ruling enables the EFCC to proceed with its investigation into the financial activities of the Rivers State government during Odili’s administration, marking a significant development in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.
