The State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has issued an interlocutory injunction barring lawmakers led by Speaker, Martins Amaewhule from further sitting and parading themselves as members of the state House of 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 suit 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.
The Court also declared the seats of the 25 lawmakers, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, vacant pending the determination of a suit before it.
The court had on May 10th granted a similar order on a motion ex-parte, stopping 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.
