A Port Harcourt High Court has extended an interim order restraining the Chief Judge and Clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly from interacting with the Speaker Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
This development comes after Governor Siminialayi Fubara and the Attorney-General of Rivers State secured the initial order in a suit filed against Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers.
The suit, aimed at stopping potential impeachment plans by the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly, lists lawmakers led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, the Chief Judge, the Clerk of Rivers State House of Assembly, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as second defendants.
On July 8, Justice Jumbo Stephens ordered the parties to maintain the status quo, pending the determination of the motion on notice. The court specifically instructed:
“That an Order of Interim Injunction is hereby made restraining the 31″ 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 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.”
