The Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has issued an interlocutory injunction preventing Speaker Martin Amaewhule and other lawmakers loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory and former governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, from sitting and presenting themselves as members of the state House of Assembly.
Justice C.N. Wali granted the order following a lawsuit filed by lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminilayi Fubara, including Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo, Sokari Goodboy, and Orubienimigha Timothy.
The court’s decision comes amid a political crisis that has gripped Rivers State, involving a clash between supporters of Wike and those aligned with Fubara.
According to court documents seen by Punch Online, the lawsuit listed 25 lawmakers as defendants, along with the Rivers State Governor, Attorney-General, and Chief Judge as the 26th to 28th defendants.
On May 10, the court had previously issued a similar order, based on an ex parte motion, restricting the Governor, Attorney-General, and Chief Judge from engaging with the disputed lawmakers.
The interlocutory injunction explicitly restrains the lawmakers from acting as state House of Assembly members and conducting legislative business.
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 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.”
Additionally, the injunction prohibits the Governor, Attorney-General, and Chief Judge from engaging with the barred lawmakers. “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 case has been adjourned to July 1, 2024, for mention.
The political crisis in Rivers State escalated in December 2023 when 27 lawmakers loyal to Wike defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) amid internal conflicts within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Amaewhule and his faction cited the divisions within the PDP as the reason for their defection.
The debate over whether these defected lawmakers should retain their seats has been contentious, with critics arguing that the constitution mandates they vacate their positions due to their party switch. This legal battle continues to shape the political landscape in Rivers State.