Court Bars Factional Speaker, Deputy From Accessing Rivers Assembly Complex

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, has given an interim order, restraining the factional Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, and his deputy, Hon. Dumle Maol, from forcefully gaining access into the Assembly complex, pending the hearing of the suit before it.

The House of Assembly and the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, had approached the court in Suit No/PHC/3030/CS/2023, seeking, amongst others, an exparte order preventing Amaewhule and Maol, who are first and second respondents in the suit, from forcefully gaining access into the Assembly complex.

LEADERSHIP reports that 27 members of the House of Assembly, led by Amaewhule, had on the floor of the House on Monday, announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawmakers, who are loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, cited the division within the heirarchy of the PDP at the national level as the main reason for their defection.

However, the State High Court, presided over by Hon. Justice M.W. Danagogo also gave an order restraining the factional Speaker and his deputy, from disrupting the activities of the Rivers State House of Assembly, pending the hearing of the suit.

The court stated that the continuous forceful entry into the House of Assembly complex, which was burnt by suspected arsonists on October 29, 2023, was contrary to the orders of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who had provided a conducive location for the sitting of the lawmakers pending the completion of renovation work at the Assembly complex.

The court adjourned the suit till December 21, 2023, for hearing another motion on notice.