A’court orders status quo in suit seeking to quash restraining injunction against pro-Wike lawmakers

A court of appeal in Port Harcourt has ordered the parties involved in the ongoing Rivers house of assembly crisis to maintain the status quo.

A three-member panel of the appellate court gave the order during a virtual proceeding on Friday.

The appeal was filed by Martin Amaewhule, speaker of the Rivers state house of assembly, and 24 others seeking to vacate the order of a high court in Port Harcourt, the state capital, that restrained them from parading themselves as lawmakers.

In an interlocutory ruling delivered on May 30, Charles Wali, the high court judge, restrained the lawmakers from conducting legislative sittings anywhere, including within the legislative quarters.

The judge also restrained Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, from interfacing with or accepting resolutions and bills from the 25 lawmakers.

The suit was filed by Victor Oko Jumbo, factional speaker, and two other lawmakers — Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Adolphus Timothy. The three legislators are loyal to Fubara.

The court also held that all the laws made by Amaewhule and others were in nullity until the determination of the matter.

The aggrieved lawmakers then filed an appeal against the ruling.

The appeal panel, made up of Jimi Bada, Hamma Akawu, and Balkisu Aliyu, asked the parties in the suit to maintain the status quo and adjourned till July 20.

The panel tasked the parties not to take any step that would affect the merit of the matter before it and directed that the notice of appeal be served on the defendants before the adjourned date.

BACKGROUND

The Rivers assembly has been polarised since 2023, following the rift between Fubara and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

In December 2023, 27 members of the assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Rivers assembly has 32 seats. One of the lawmakers, Dinebari Loolo, died in September 2023.

In October 2023, Ehie Edison was elected speaker of the factional assembly, after his removal as house leader by members led by Amaewhule — amid the plot to impeach Fubara.

Edison later resigned as a lawmaker to become chief of staff to the governor.

The lawmakers in the Amaewhule-led faction are loyal to Wike.