A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the state capital, has issued an ex parte Order of Interim Injunction barring the Chief Judge of the State and the Clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly from dealing with the Martin Amaewhule led House of Assembly.
The order which was issued by Justice Stephens Jumbo of the state high court also restrained the duo from dealing with Amaewhule and 24 others as members of the Assembly, and from acting on any resolutions, articles of impeachment, and or any other communications from them.
The suit filed by the attorney general of the state and the governor as first and second plaintiffs, and marked PHC/2177/CS/2024 had Martin Amaewhule and 24 others as the first and second defendants.
It also has Victor Oko-Jumbo, and others, Chief Judge of the State, Clerk of the State House of Assembly and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as second sets of defendants.
The court further ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante litem as of July 5, 2024, until the motion for an interlocutory injunction is heard and determined.
The order read partly: “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.”
The court adjourned to the 15th of July 2024 for hearing.