By Abiola Olawale
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has granted an ex-parte order barring the Chief Judge of the state and the Clerk of the state House of Assembly from accepting any impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, from the faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule.
The Presiding judge, Justice Jumbo Stephen also granted an order barring the Chief Judge and the Clerk of the state House of Assembly from dealing with Amaewhule and 26 others as members of the Assembly, and from acting on any resolutions, articles of impeachment, or communications from them.
The Judge made the ruling on a suit marked PHC/2177/CS/2024, filed by the Attorney General of the state as the first plaintiff and the Governor of the State, Siminialayi Fubara, as the second plaintiff, against Amaewhule and 26 others.
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 order reads in part: “That an order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the 31st and 32nd defendants from dealing or howsoever relating with the first to 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 order of the 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 of 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, however, adjourned till July 15, 2024, for the motion on notice for Interlocutory injunction.
The New Diplomat reports that the order came a few hours after the Amaewhule-led lawmakers held its sitting at the State Assembly official quarters along Aba Road, in Port Harcourt.
It would be recalled also that Rivers State has been in the news for over eight months over the cold war between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Wike.
While the reasons for the acrimony between the duo remain top secret, some insider sources maintain that Wike and Fubara are purportedly battling for control of the oil-rich state’s resources and political machinery of the State.
The crisis has since festered, as about 25 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly including the Speaker, Rt. Hon Martins Amaewhule purportedly dumped the PDP and issued threats to impeach Fubara.
However, the lawmakers have since denied the defection rumours, saying they are still card-carry members of the PDP.
