The crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly took another twist on Tuesday, December 12, as the state High Court barred the speaker, Martins Amaewhule, and his supporters from conducting any legislative activities in the assembly complex.
The court presided over by Justice M.W Danagogo, gave the order in an experte motion filed by the first claimant, Rivers State House of Assembly, and the second claimant, Edison Ehie, who identified himself as the speaker of the House.
Joined as the first and second defendants in the suit are Amaewhule and the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol.
Edison in the motion prepared by D.I Iboroma, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) and others had prayed the court to order Amaewhule and others to stop entering the state assembly complex until the burnt hallowed chamber was fully renovated by the government.
He also asked the court to order that he should lawfully take over the speakership of the state assembly pending the determination of the motion on notice.
He further prayed that Amaewhule should be stopped from conducting himself as the speaker of the House.
The court in an Interim order granted the first prayer and ordered Amaewhule and others to stop using the assembly premise for their sitting pending the renovation of the facility.
The order threatened that Edison would pay N50bn as damages if the application before the court turned out to be frivolous.
The court asked the claimants to serve the Interim order, the motion on notice already filed, the originating process and other processes in the suit on the defendants on or before the 13th day of December 2023.
The court granted leave to the Claimants to serve all the processes by substituted means by publication in two national newspapers or by pasting at a conspicuous part of the last known address of the defendants and adjourned till 21 December for hearing.
The court made the following orders: “An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants and the second claimant/applicant either acting by themselves or through their agents, servants, privies, assigns or any person(s) acting in a whatsoever manner and howsoever called or described, from further use of armed thugs accompanied by police personnel in riot gear to gain access to the Rivers State House of Assembly complex at Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State which was burnt, destroyed, damaged and rendered uninhabitable as a result of the fire that engulfed the Assembly Complex on the 2nd day of October 2023, contrary to the order of the executive Governor of Rivers State relocating the sitting of the 1st Claimant to a secure and more conducive venue to ensure that the activities and meetings of the House are not disrupted during the period of the renovation of the burnt building, pending the determination of the motion on notice already filed.
“An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves, their agents, servants, privies and representatives in whatsoever and howsoever manner from preventing, disrupting and interfering with the smooth and regular operation, management and administration of the 1 claimant/applicant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed in this suit.
“An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves, their agents, servants, privies and representatives in whatsoever and howsoever manner from preventing, disrupting and interfering with the exercise of the 2nd claimant/applicant’s statutory legislative duties of summoning and holding meetings, proceedings, issuing notices, passing resolutions, bills and performing other legislative functions of the 1st claimant/applicant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed in this suit.”
It was, however, gathered that the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was muting the idea of floating a government that would accommodate all notable leaders in the state irrespective of their party affiliations.
The governor was said to be planning to bring everybody on board to form a government of state unity in the interest of the development of Rivers.
Fubara was said to be ready to make more friends and close ranks with party leaders across the state.
The governor reportedly met with the Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party, Beatrice Itubor, in Government House.
Itubor, who confirmed the meeting, said they discussed the progress and development of the state adding that the governor intended to bring everybody on board irrespective of their party affiliations.
She said the state governor would like to form a unitary government to enable everybody to contribute their knowledge to the growth of the state.
She said: “The governor means well. But I told him I would consult stakeholders in the Labour Party and get back to him. We will support the governor. But we will not leave our party”.
When asked whether she would take any appointment from the governor, she said: “Why not? It is our state and we will work with the governor to succeed”.
The crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly took another twist on Tuesday, December 12, as the state High Court barred the speaker, Martins Amaewhule, and his supporters from conducting any legislative activities in the assembly complex.The court presided over by Justice M.W Danagogo, gave the order in an experte motion filed by the first claimant, Rivers State House of Assembly, and the second claimant, Edison Ehie, who identified himself as the speaker of the House.Joined as the first and second defendants in the suit are Amaewhule and the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol.Edison in the motion prepared by D.I Iboroma, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) and others had prayed the court to order Amaewhule and others to stop entering the state assembly complex until the burnt hallowed chamber was fully renovated by the government.He also asked the court to order that he should lawfully take over the speakership of the state assembly pending the determination of the motion on notice.He further prayed that Amaewhule should be stopped from conducting himself as the speaker of the House.The court in an Interim order granted the first prayer and ordered Amaewhule and others to stop using the assembly premise for their sitting pending the renovation of the facility.The order threatened that Edison would pay N50bn as damages if the application before the court turned out to be frivolous.The court asked the claimants to serve the Interim order, the motion on notice already filed, the originating process and other processes in the suit on the defendants on or before the 13th day of December 2023.The court granted leave to the Claimants to serve all the processes by substituted means by publication in two national newspapers or by pasting at a conspicuous part of the last known address of the defendants and adjourned till 21 December for hearing.The court made the following orders: “An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants and the second claimant/applicant either acting by themselves or through their agents, servants, privies, assigns or any person(s) acting in a whatsoever manner and howsoever called or described, from further use of armed thugs accompanied by police personnel in riot gear to gain access to the Rivers State House of Assembly complex at Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State which was burnt, destroyed, damaged and rendered uninhabitable as a result of the fire that engulfed the Assembly Complex on the 2nd day of October 2023, contrary to the order of the executive Governor of Rivers State relocating the sitting of the 1st Claimant to a secure and more conducive venue to ensure that the activities and meetings of the House are not disrupted during the period of the renovation of the burnt building, pending the determination of the motion on notice already filed.“An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves, their agents, servants, privies and representatives in whatsoever and howsoever manner from preventing, disrupting and interfering with the smooth and regular operation, management and administration of the 1 claimant/applicant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed in this suit.“An order of interim injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves, their agents, servants, privies and representatives in whatsoever and howsoever manner from preventing, disrupting and interfering with the exercise of the 2nd claimant/applicant’s statutory legislative duties of summoning and holding meetings, proceedings, issuing notices, passing resolutions, bills and performing other legislative functions of the 1st claimant/applicant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed in this suit.”It was, however, gathered that the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was muting the idea of floating a government that would accommodate all notable leaders in the state irrespective of their party affiliations.The governor was said to be planning to bring everybody on board to form a government of state unity in the interest of the development of Rivers.Fubara was said to be ready to make more friends and close ranks with party leaders across the state.The governor reportedly met with the Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party, Beatrice Itubor, in Government House.Itubor, who confirmed the meeting, said they discussed the progress and development of the state adding that the governor intended to bring everybody on board irrespective of their party affiliations.She said the state governor would like to form a unitary government to enable everybody to contribute their knowledge to the growth of the state.She said: “The governor means well. But I told him I would consult stakeholders in the Labour Party and get back to him. We will support the governor. But we will not leave our party”.When asked whether she would take any appointment from the governor, she said: “Why not? It is our state and we will work with the governor to succeed”.
