As Fubara relocates Rivers house assembly to government house
Justice Charles Wali on the Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt yesterday issued an order stopping 25 lawmakers from parading themselves as members of the state’s house of assembly.
The affected lawmakers are loyal to the FCT minister and for governor of the state, Mr Nyesom Wike,
The judge ordered them to stay away from the house and restrained them from taking any action in their capacity as the state’s lawmakers pending further hearing in the case fixed for May 29 May.
He gave the ex parte order in a suit instituted by the new speaker of the legislature, Mr Victor Oko-Jumbo and two of his colleagues who are backed by the governor, Mr Siminalayi Fubara.
Oko-Jumbo emerged the speaker of the three-member faction on Wednesday.
Martin Amaewhule, the speaker recognised by the pro-Wike group, and 24 others are sued as defendants in the suit.
Other defendants are Fubara, the state chief judge and the attorney general of the state.
To justify their application for the order, Oko-Jumbo and the other applicants cited the defection of the 25 members of the rival faction in the house from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the subsequent declaration of their seats vacant.
“An order of interim injunction is granted restraining the 1st to 25th defendants from parading and holding out themselves as members of 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 any other place whatsoever to purport to carry out legislative business of Rivers State House of Assembly, their legislative seats having been declared vacant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” the court ordered.
The court also barred the governor from interfacing or accepting any resolutions, bills or howsoever interacting with the pro-Wike lawmakers in their capacity as members of the assembly from 13 December 2023 that their legislative seats were declared vacant.
Also yesterday, Fubara ordered an immediate relocation of the legislative business of the state house of assembly to government house in Port Harcourt.
The relocation order was contained in the state’s official Gazette, Executive Order of the Rivers State Government 001-2023, Channels Television reported.
The order came about 24 hours after Oko-Jumbo emerged as a new factional speaker of the assembly and a few hours after hours after the court barred the pro-Wike speaker and his group from parading themselves as members of the assembly.
The gazette reads, “That on 29 October 2023, a fire incident occasioned by unknown persons burnt and damaged the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“That the Hallowed Chamber of the Rivers State House of Assembly in its present state is unsafe and constitutes a threat to the lives of the staff and the honourable members of Rivers State House of Assembly and thus not conducive for the business and proceeding of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“That it is expedient to carry out urgent repairs, renovation, and reconstruction of the burnt and damaged chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“That it is further reasonable to ensure that the business and proceedings of the Rivers State House of Assembly are not impeded and frustrated.
“Now therefore, I, Mr Fubara the Governor of Rivers State this 30th day of October 2023, Pursuant to the powers vested in me under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) hereby issue, order, and direct that all proceedings and business of Rivers State House of Assembly shall temporarily take place at the Auditorium, Admin Block, Government House, Port Harcourt until the repairs, renovation or reconstruction of the chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly are completed.”
With Premium Times report
