The Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has issued an interlocutory injunction preventing lawmakers led by Speaker Martins Amaewhule from convening and presenting themselves as members of the state House of Assembly.
Justice C.N. Wali presided over the case, which was filed by pro-Governor Siminilayi Fubara lawmakers, led by their Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo, alongside Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy.
The lawsuit listed 25 lawmakers as the 1st to 25th defendants, with the Rivers Governor, the Attorney-General, and the Chief Judge of the state included as the 26th to 28th defendants.
Recall that on the 10th of May, the court issued a similar order on a motion ex-parte, prohibiting the Governor, the Attorney-General, and the Chief Judge from engaging with the affected lawmakers.
The court stated, “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 off Aba Road, Port Harcourt, or at 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.”
The court further noted that “An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby made restraining the 26th to 28th defendants from dealing with, interfacing, accepting any resolutions, bills, and/or however interacting with the 1st 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 13 December 2023 pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”
Granting the interlocutory injunction on 29 May, the court adjourned the case for mention to 1 July 2024.
