* But won’t refund entitlements paid because wasn’t forced.
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
A State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Tuesday ruled that Sir Celestine Omehia was at no time a governor of Rivers state.
Recall that Omehia ,a lawyer, was sworn in as the 4th governor of Rivers State on May29, 2007. But he was sacked on 25 October,2007, landmark Supreme Court judgement which said that in eyes of the law it was Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, (who incidentally is his cousin) who was being usurped as governor of the state.
The Supreme Court further explained that in eyes of the Law Omehia was never a Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
However, ruling on the matter brought by Omehia, Justice Daketima Kio held that Omehia is not a former governor of the state and as such not entitled to Pensions paid to former governors.
On the counterclaim by the state government demanding that Omehia repay N695 million, the judge said it was lacking in merit as he did not ask anyone to pay him the money.
Omehia was recognised as a former governor of Rivers state by the immediate past governor, Nyesom Wike, with pension fully paid to him, but when they had political disagreement the former Governor derobed him and was ordered to refund all entitlements paid to him.