A state high court in Port Harcourt has granted an interim injunction restraining Martin Amaewhule from parading himself as a speaker of the Rivers house of assembly.
In a ruling delivered on Friday, Charles Wali, the presiding
judge, also restrained 25 other assembly members from parading themselves as
legislators.
The motion ex parte was filed by the factional speaker,
Victor Jumbo and two assembly members — Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha
Timothy — loyal to Siminialayi Fubara, governor of Rivers.
The suit listed 25 lawmakers as 1st to 25th defendants and
the governor of Rivers, the attorney-general, and the state’s chief judge as
26th to 28th defendants.
In its ruling, the court stopped the governor, the
attorney-general, and the chief judge from interacting with the affected
lawmakers.
The order asked the lawmakers to “stop parading themselves
as members of the assembly or conducting any legislative business as members of
the house”.
The court also ordered them to “stop sitting at the
auditorium of the house of assembly quarters located along Aba Road or any
other place whatsoever to conduct business as members of the house of
assembly”.
The court further ordered “substituted service on the
lawmakers within seven days from the date by substituted means to wit by pasting
at the entrance gate of the Rivers state house of assembly legislative
quarters”.
BACKGROUND
The Rivers house of assembly has been polarised since 2023
following the rift between Fubara and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal
capital territory (FCT).
In December, 27 members of the assembly defected from the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Rivers assembly has 32 seats. One of the lawmakers,
Dinebari Loolo, died in September 2023.
In October 2023, Ehie Edison was elected speaker of the
factional assembly, after his removal as house leader by members led by
Amaewhule — amid the plot to impeach Fubara.
Edison later resigned as a lawmaker to become chief of staff
to the governor.
The lawmakers in the Awaewhule-led faction are loyal to
Wike.
However, Jumbo, the lawmaker representing the Bonny
constituency, was elected factional speaker on Wednesday.
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