Court restrains Rivers lawmakers from removing pro-Fubara speaker

A high court in Port Harcourt has issued an interim order restraining lawmakers in the Rivers house of assembly from removing Edison Ehie as the speaker.

M.W Danagogo, presiding judge, granted the ex parte order on Tuesday.

In the document seen by TheCable, the Rivers house of assembly and Ehie were listed as the 1st and 2nd claimant applicants.

Martin Amaewhule, factional speaker of the assembly and Dumle Maol, factional deputy speaker,  are the defendants in the suit marked PHC/3030/CS/2023.

The court restrained the defendants, whether by themselves, their agents, privies or representatives “from preventing, disrupting and interfering with the smooth and regular operation, management and administration of the 1st claimant/applicant ( the assembly) pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed in this suit”.

The court also restrained the defendants from interfering with or disrupting Ehie’s duties “of summoning and holding meetings, proceedings, issuing notices, passing resolutions, bills and performing other legislative functions of the 1st claimant/applicant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed in this suit”.

However, the court also ruled that if Ehie’s application is found to be frivolous, he would have to pay N50 million as damages.

The court further directed the applicants to serve the interim order and other processes on the defendants via substituted service.

The matter has been adjourned to December 21 for hearing the motion on notice.

Ehie was elected speaker of the Rivers house in October, after a faction of the assembly removed him as house leader during a plot to impeach Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state.