Rivers Politics: Court Restrains Amaewhule-Led Assembly Members From Parading As Lawmakers

A High Court in Port Harcourt has issued an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the 27-member Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly, from parading themselves as lawmakers.

The order was issued by Justice Charles Wali of the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt division in a suit marked PHC/1512/CS/2024.

The suit with Victor Oko Jumbo and the 2 other lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara as plaintiffs, had Martin Amaewhule and 24 other members of the Assembly who had defected to the APC listed, as defendants. Governor Fubara, the State’s Attorney General, and the State’s Chief Judge were also listed.

Granting the interlocutory injunction, Justice Wali issued an order as follows:

An Order of Interlocutory Injunction is granted restraining the 1st to 25th Defendants from parading and holding out themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and/or meeting/ sitting at the Auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters located at Old 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 substantive suit.

An Order of Interlocutory Injunction is at this moment made restraining the 26th to the 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 have also been declared vacant with effect from 131h December, 2023 pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

That case has been adjourned to 1st July, 2024 for mention.