The State High Court in Rivers has declared seats of the 25 embattled members of the State House of Assembly vacant.
The members led by Speaker, Martins Amaewhule who defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC in solidarity with the former governor, Nyesom Wike have also been barred by Court from sitting and parading themselves as members of the Assembly.
The court presided over by Justice C.N. Wali, gave the order in a suit filed by the pro-Governor Siminilayi Fubara lawmakers led by their Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo and two others, Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy.
The lawsuit listed 25 lawmakers as 1st to 25th defendants and Rivers Governor, the Attorney-General and the Chief Judge of the state as 26th to 28th defendants.
CAPITAL POST recalled that a similar motion ex-parte was granted on 10th May, 2024 ordering the governor, the Attorney-General and the Chief Judge from interacting with the affected lawmakers.
Granting the interlocutory injunction on May 29th, the court adjourned to July 1st, 2024 for mention.
The court said: “An order of interlocutory injunction is granted restraining the 1st to 25th defendants from parading and holding out themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and/or meeting/sitting at the Auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters located at off Aba Road Port Harcourt or at any other place whatsoever to purport to carry out the legislative business of the Rivers State House of Assembly, their legislative seats having been declared vacant pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
“An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby made restraining the 26th to 28th defendants from dealing with, interfacing, accepting any resolutions, bills and/or however interacting with the 1st to 25th defendants in their purported capacities as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly their legislative seats having been declared vacant with effect from 13th December, 2023 pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit”.
There have been a series of controversies surrounding the membership of the 25 lawmakers who defected from the PDP to the APC.
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, had also said that the 25 lawmakers must obey the court order that restrained them from parading themselves as lawmakers.
He said the lawmakers can only persuade the court to review the case or go back to the people and let the people renew their mandate.
Falana said that the 25 lawmakers who had threatened to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, were either not properly guided or advised.
