A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has issued an injunction barring the Speaker of the state Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, and 24 other lawmakers from parading as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Justice Charles N. Wali delivered the order in a case with suit number PHC/1512/CS/2024, filed by Victor Oko Jumbo (Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly), Sokari Goodboy, Orubienimigha Timothy, and other members of the Assembly. The suit names Martin Amaewhule and 24 others, the Governor of Rivers State, the Attorney General of the state, and the Chief Judge of the state as defendants.
Following a motion ex parte and after hearing from Sammie A. Somiari, SAN with B. N. Owunabo, Esq, and others for the claimants/applicants, Justice Wali ruled that Amaewhule should cease acting as a lawmaker.
Amaewhule and the other 24 lawmakers had defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The court also ordered the Rivers state government to stop recognizing the lawmakers who defected from the PDP, as their seats have been declared vacant.
The order states: “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…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…”
The court adjourned the case till May 29 for further proceedings.