A Rivers State High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, has issued an ex parte order of interim injunction restraining the Chief Judge of Rivers State and the Clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly from engaging with the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
Justice Stephens Jumbo issued the order, which also prevents the Chief Judge and the Clerk from acknowledging or acting on any resolutions, impeachment articles, or other communications from Amaewhule and 24 others claiming membership in the Assembly.
The lawsuit, filed by the Attorney General of the state and the Governor as the first and second plaintiffs respectively, is marked PHC/2177/CS/2024. The first and second defendants in the suit are Martin Amaewhule and 24 others, while the second set of defendants includes Victor Oko-Jumbo, the Chief Judge of the State, the Clerk of the State House of Assembly, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The court’s order mandates that all parties maintain the status quo as of July 5, 2024, pending the resolution of the motion for an interlocutory injunction.
The order states: “An Order of Interim Injunction is hereby made restraining the 31st and 32nd Defendants from dealing or howsoever relating with the 1st-27th Defendants as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and from receiving, forwarding, or howsoever acting on any resolutions, articles of impeachment, or other communications from the 1st-27th Defendants pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction already filed herein.”
Furthermore, the court directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante litem as of July 5, 2024, until the motion for interlocutory injunction is heard and determined.
The court also ordered substituted service of the originating and other processes in the suit on the 1st-30th defendants by pasting the same at Quarters, opposite the former NDDC headquarters, off Aba Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The case is adjourned to July 15, 2024, for the hearing of the motion.
