Court Bars Rivers CJ From Receiving Impeachment Notice

A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, has issued an ex parte order barring the Chief Judge of the state and the Clerk of the State House of Assembly from dealing with Martins Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers loyal to ex-governor Nyesom Wike.

Justice Jumbo Stephen ordered that the CJ, the clerk and other defendants in the suit should “not act on any resolutions, articles of impeachment or others”  from Amaewhule and 26 other pro-Wike lawmakers.

The judge granted the order in a suit marked PHC/2177/CS/2024 filed by the Rivers State Attorney General and Governor Siminialayi Fubara.

The suit and the court orders came as the pro-Fubara lawmakers resumed sitting on Monday, following last week verdict of the Court of Appeal reinstating them as lawmakers.

At their sitting on Monday, the pro-Wike lawmakers gave Fubara a seven-day ultimatum to present afresh the 2024 budget, which months ago passed by the factional Assembly loyal to Fubara.

In the suit filed by Fubara on Monday, Amaewhule and 26 other pro-Wike lawmakers were listed as the first set of defendants.

The factional Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, Victor Oko-Jumbo, the Clerk, other pro-Fubara factional lawmakers, the state Chief Judge and the  Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State were listed as the second set of defendants.

The court also ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante litem as of July 5, 2024, until the motion for an interlocutory injunction is heard and determined.

The judge ruled: “That 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 defendants pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction already filed herein.

“That the parties to this suit are hereby directed to maintain the status quo ante litem in this suit as at 5th July 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction already filed herein.

“An order is hereby made for substituted service of the originating and other processes in this suit on the 1st-30th defendants by pasting the same at Quarters, opposite former NDDC headquarters, off Aba Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.”

The court adjourned till July 15 for the hearing of the motion on notice.