The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set up a special three-member bench to examine political issues from Rivers State, with sittings set to commence on Thursday, November 14. This action comes after mounting legal battles between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. The disagreement has resulted in a rush of legal lawsuits from the state, causing splits among political players and resulting in contradicting decisions from courts with comparable power – a problem that has sparked condemnation from both judiciary stakeholders and the general public. In an effort to expedite the resolution of these issues, Court of Appeal President Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem formed a special panel to oversee all cases pertaining to Rivers' political crisis. The panel, led by Justice Onyekachi Otisi and including Justices Misitura Bokaji-Yusuf and James Abundaga, would consider cases involving significant political leaders and groups inside the state. Among the appeals expected to be considered is one brought by Governor Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly, as well as those involving both the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress over the purported defection of 27 Wike supporters from the PDP to the APC. During Monday's sessions, a panel of the court delayed three appeals, including one brought by the Rivers State Government against the Rivers State House of Assembly and others, for hearing by the new special panel. The sitting Justice Hamma Barka stated that "the appeal, marked CA/ABJ/PRE/ROA/CV/1211m1/2024, is among the Rivers matters for which a special panel was constituted." Senior lawyer Chief Paul Erokoro, representing the appellant, advised the court of measures to guarantee that all respondents who had not yet been served had the appropriate documents by Thursday. He also stated that he had recently received filings from the respondents and needed time to write his answer.

Counsel for the first and second respondents, Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), and Dr. Joshua Musa (SAN), who represented other respondents, consented to the adjournment motion for November 14. Two additional cases—one brought by the Accountant General of Rivers State against the Rivers State House of Assembly and another by the Action Peoples Party against the Independent National Electoral Commission, among others—were also postponed till Thursday for hearings by the Otisi-led special panel. The formation of this tribunal attempts to give a clear and accelerated resolution to political disagreements, a key step toward restoring order in Rivers State's continuing political instability.