The crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly is getting messier by the day. A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has barred Speaker, Martin Amaewhule and 24 others from parading themselves as Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
This is coming two days after the lawmakers loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, Rivers State Chapter, threatened to impeach the Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The Honourable Justice Charles Wali gave this order on a case in suit number PHC/1512/CS/2024, filed by Victor Oko Jumbo ( the just elected Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly) Sokari Goodboy, Orubienimigha Timothy, all pro-Fubara members of the Assembly.
Wali, following the ex parte motion, and after hearing from Sammie A. Somiari, SAN with B. N. Owunabo, Esq, and others for the claimants/applicants, entered that Amaewhule and co should stop parading themselves as lawmakers.
It would be recalled that Amaewhule and some other Lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had defected to the APC, following the disagreement between Fubara and Wike.
The ruling read: “An Order of interim injunction is granted restraining the 1st to 25th Defendants from parading and holding out themselves as members of Rivers State House of Assembly and/or meeting/sitting at the auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters located at off Aba Road, Port Harcourt, or any other place whatsoever to purport to carry out the legislative business of the Rivers State House of Assembly, their legislative seats having been declared vacant pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“An order of interim injunction is, hereby, made restraining the 26th to 28th Defendants from dealing with, interfacing, accepting any resolutions, bills and/or howsoever interacting with the 1st to 25th Defendants in their purported capacities as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, their legislative seats having been declared vacant with effect from 13th December, 12023 pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“It is further Ordered that this Order, the Motion on Notice and the writ and other processes, in this case, be served on the 1st to 25th defendants/respondents within seven (7) days from date by substituted means to wit: by pasting at the entrance gate of the Rivers State House of Assembly Legislative Quarters, Off Aba Road, Port Harcourt and for such service to be deemed good and proper.”
The court adjourned the Rivers lawmakers case till May 29 for Motion on Notice.
Following this development, Governor Fubara has ordered the immediate relocation of the House of Assembly’s sittings to the Rivers State Government House.
According to an executive order contained in a memo, Governor Fubara noted that the relocation was necessary due to the fire incident that happened at the House of Assembly Chambers months ago, leading to the ongoing renovation of the House of Assembly Chambers.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
