A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, presided over by Justice M.W Danagogo, on Tuesday, ordered a 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.
The court also stopped lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, from using the Assembly premises following the directive of the governor, Siminalayi Fubara, that the facility was under renovation.
Justice Danagogo gave these orders in an ex-parte motion in Suit No. PHC/3030/CS/2023 filed by D.I Iboroma, in which Rivers State House of Assembly is the first claimant and Ehie as second claimant while Martin Amaewhule is the first defendant and Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, is the second defendant.
While granting the orders, the court threatened that Edison would pay N50m as damages if the application before the court turns out to be frivolous.
The court ordered as follows:
“AN ORDER OF INTERIM INJUNCTION restraining the Defendants and the 2nd Claimant/Applicant either acting by themselves or through their agents, servants, privies, assigns or any person(s) acting in whatsoever manner and howsoever called or described, from further use of armed thugs accompanied by police personnel in riot gear to gain access to the Rivers State House of Assembly complex at Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State which was burnt, destroyed, damaged and rendered uninhabitable as a result of the fire that engulfed the Assembly Complex on the 2nd day of October 2023, contrary to the order of the executive Governor of Rivers State relocating the sitting of the 1st Claimant to a secure and more conducive venue to ensure that the activities and meetings of the House are not disrupted during the period of the renovation of the burnt building, pending the determination of the motion on notice already filed.
“AN ORDER OF INTERIM INJUNCTION restraining the Defendants whether by themselves, their agents, servants, privies and representatives in whatsoever and howsoever manner from preventing, disrupting and interfering with the smooth and regular operation, management and administration of the 1 Claimant/Applicant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed in this suit.
“AN ORDER OF INTERIM INJUNCTION restraining the Defendants whether by themselves, their agents, servants, privies and representatives in whatsoever and howsoever manner from preventing, disrupting and interfering with the exercise of the 2nd Claimant/Applicant’s statutory legislative 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.”