The appeal filed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara challenging the Martin Amaewhule leadership of the Rivers State House of Assembly has been dismissed by the Supreme Court in Abuja.

The decision was reached by a five-member panel led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji on Monday, after Fubara’s lawyer, Yusuf Ali, withdrew the suit.

The court then ordered Fubara to pay N2 million to the Assembly and Amaewhule after it agreed with the decisions reached by the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal.

Fubara had backed the Edison Ehie- led Rivers State House of Assembly on the claim that Amaewhule and some lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ceased to be lawful members of the state assembly.

However, his decision was faulted by both lower courts because he failed to provide any evidence that the faction of Amaewhule 27 lawmakers defected from the PDP to the APC.

When his appeal came up before the apex court on Monday, Fubara's lawyer informed the five-member panel of justices of a notice of withdrawal filed on February 6, seeking to withdraw the appeal on the grounds that, “the appeal has been overtaken by events”.

In response, Justice Aba-Aji granted the application and dismissed the appeal.