Wike and Fubara
There was tension on Friday at the Rivers State House of Assembly quarters located along Aba Road, Port Harcourt, as armed policemen took over all the entrances to the quarters.
This development followed the Friday ruling of a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt which barred the Speaker of the State House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and 24 other lawmakers from parading as members of the state legislature.
Justice Charles N. Wali gave the order in suit number PHC/1512/CS/2024, filed by Victor Oko Jumbo (Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly), Sokari Goodboy, Orubienimigha Timothy, members of the Assembly against Martin Chike Amaewhule and 24 others, and the Governor of Rivers State, the attorney general of the state and the chief judge of the state.
Justice Wali, following the motion ex-parte and after hearing from Sammie A. Somiari, SAN, with B. N. Owunabo, and others for the claimants/applicants entered that Amaewhule and the 23 other state legislators should stop acting as lawmakers.
Wali, also ordered that the government of the state should stop dealing with the said lawmakers as their seats had remained vacant after they defected from the Peoples Democratic Party that produced them.
The order read, “An order of interim injunction is granted restraining the first 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 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 first 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 December 13, 2023, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
