May 30, (THEWILL) – A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has granted an order of interlocutory injunction restraining Martin Chike Amaewhule and 24 other pro-Wike lawmakers from sitting and parading themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Justice Charles N. Wali issued the order on Wednesday, following a suit filed by three pro-Governor Siminilayi Fubara Rivers Assembly members led by Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo and two others, including Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy.
Filed through their lawyers, B. N. Owunabo, Esq., K. O. Ogunjobi, Esq., B. S. Orupabo, Esq., 0. J. Ifejika, Esq., and T. Aprioku, Esq., the plaintiffs argued that Amaewhule and 24 other defected lawmakers ceased to be members of the Rivers State House of Assembly since December 13 when their seats were declared vacant.
The court had on May 10, issued an ex-parte order stopping the 25 lawmakers from parading themselves as members of the Rivers Assembly and adjourned hearing to Wednesday, May 29.
At Wednesday’s hearing, Justice Wali further granted a restraining order of interlocutory injunction stopping the 25 pro-Wike lawmakers as Rivers Assembly members.
The order read: “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 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.
“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 13th December 2023, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”
The court adjourned until July 1, 2024, for hearing of the substantive suit.
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