Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ruled that the factional Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, who is loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, should desist from parading himself as the Rivers state House of Assembly speaker.
The court also ruled that he should stop going into the state assembly complex until the burnt chamber is fully renovated by the state government.
The court further ordered the factional Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, to preside over the activities of the legislative arm of the state pending the determination of a motion before it.
Justice M.W Danagogo, gave this order, in an Experte Motion, Suit No. PHC/3030/CS/2023, in which Rivers State House of Assembly was the 1st claimant and Edison Ehie, 2nd claimant, while Martin Amaewhule was 1st defendant Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, was the 2nd defendant.
A total of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly elected under the Peoples’ Democratic Party, on Monday, defected to the All Progressives Congress and threatened to reject the request of the state governor for approval. The factional Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule,was among those who defected.
In Tuesday’s process, which was prepared by D.I Iboroma, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and others, Edison wants the court to order Amaewhule and others to stop going into the state assembly complex until the burnt chamber is fully renovated by the government.
Edison also wants the court to order that he lawfully take over the speakership of the state assembly until the matter is dispensed, praying that Amaewhule should be stopped from conducting himself as the Speaker of the House.
The court in an Interim Order granted the requests of the applicant, urging Amaewhule and others to stop using the assembly premises following the directive of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, that the facility was under renovation.