Leadership Crisis: Court Stops Rivers Assembly Factions From Sitting

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has issued an order urging the two factions in the Rivers State House of Assembly to maintain the status quo and suspend further deliberations until the matter before it is dispensed.

A factional Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, had, in suit No: FHC/PH/CS/240/2023, approached the Court presided over by Hon. Justice Phoebe Ayua, praying the court to stop Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule and the other lawmakers from presiding over the activities of the legislative arm of the state.

The notice was filed together with the main suit by Ehie, as the new Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The plaintiffs in the suit are Rivers State House of Assembly, as first plaintiff, and Rt.Hon. (Barr) Ehie Ogerenye Edison (Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly) as second plaintiff.

The defendants are Rt. Hon. Martins Chike Amaewhule (former Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly), Rt. Hon. Dumle Maol (former Deputy Speaker), The Inspector-General of Police; Director, Department of State Services, and  Rivers State Commissioner of Police.

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Ruling on the motion filed in the suit, Justice Ayua ordered that none of the parties should do anything about the matter since all the parties are expected to respect the court.

In the suit, the new Speaker and the House of Assembly itself sought, amongst others, a declaration that the former speaker and his former deputy, having been removed and suspended from the House, are not entitled to participate, disturb, interfere or obstruct the performance of the legislative proceedings of the House and the legislative duties of the new speaker in accordance with the provisions of sections 90 to 104 of the Constitution of Nigeria.

They also sought for an order restraining the former two principal officers of the House from interfering or participating in the functions of the House of Assembly.

After entering the order, the court fixed 27th of November, 2023 for hearing the motion on notice.

Since the attempt by the former leadership of the House to impeach the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, the Rivers State House of Assembly has been facing a leadership crisis leading to the removal of the former speaker and the election of Edison Ehie as the new speaker.