Court Bars Amaewhule-led Assembly From Acting As Rivers State Lawmakers

Justice C.N. Wali gave the order in a suit filed by the pro-Governor Siminilayi Fubara lawmakers led by their Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo and two others, Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy.

The Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly has been barred by a State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, from sitting and parading themselves as lawmakers in the state.

Justice C.N. Wali gave the order in a suit filed by the pro-Governor Siminilayi Fubara lawmakers led by their Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo and two others, Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy.

The suit listed 25 lawmakers as 1st to 25th defendants and Rivers Governor , the Attorney-General and the Chief Judge of the state as 26th to 28th defendants.

The court had on May 10th granted a similar order on a motion ex-parte, stopping the governor, the attorney-general and the Chief Judge from interacting with the affected lawmakers.

The interlocutory injunction was granted on May 29th, with the court adjourning the suit to July 1st, 2024, for mention.

The court said: “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”.