By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
THE Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, on Friday, granted an interim injunction restraining pro-Wike Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 24 other members from parading themselves as legislators.
Stonix News reports that the court’s directive prohibits them from convening or participating in any official meetings at the Assembly premises, deepening the political crisis in the state.
The court’s decision stemmed from an exparte order filed against the Pro-Wike lawmakers by Pro-Siminialayi Fubara Speaker, Victor Oko Jumbo and three others.
The interim injunction declares the seats of the 1st to 25th defendants vacant pending further legal proceedings.
Additionally, the court issued a restraining order, prohibiting Governor Siminialayi Fubara and the Chief Judge, who are 26th and 28th defendants in the suit, from engaging with Amaewhule and his 25 loyalists.
This action is due to the defendants’ defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 13, 2023.
The court also directed Amaewhule and the others to hand over all official documents within seven days.
The case is adjourned until May 29 for a motion on notice.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has been embroiled in crisis since last year which has seen the House balkanized into two factions, with some loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory and others to Governor Fubara.
In December, the crisis took an interesting turn when 27 members, led by Amaewhule, defected from the PDP to the APC.
While the members loyal to Wike were led by Martin Amaewhule as Speaker, the others loyal to Fubara were led by Edison Ehie as Speaker. Ehie was later appointed by the governor as his Chief of Staff.
However, things took another twist on Wednesday when the members loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara elected the member representing Bonny constituency, Victor Oko-Jumbo, as their Speaker.
Oko-Jumbo, in his acceptance speech, thanked the members for electing him as the new Speaker sequel to the resignation of the former Speaker, Edison Ehie.
He called on the Executive and the Judiciary, as well as the public to disregard every law purportedly enacted by the Amaewhule-led Assembly, describing it as an exercise in futility.
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