A High Court Sitting in Port Harcourt has confirmed Edison Ehie as the authentic Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Edison Ehie is one of the 4 lawmakers in the camp of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
He was suspended and removed as leader of the house by his colleagues in the wake of the crisis at the house of Assembly.
The court restrained Martins Amaewhule and Dumle Maol from parading themselves as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The court also warned against the use of Thugs and Police officers to forcefully gain access into the Assembly Complex.
“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 29th day of October, 2023, contrary to the order of the executive Governor of Rivers State relocating the sitting of the 1 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 1Claimant/Applicant pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed in this suit.
“The 2nd Claimant/Applicant is to pay the sum ofN50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million Naira) as damages if this application turns out to be frivolous.
“The Claimants/Applicants are further ordered to serve this Interim Order, the Motion on Notice already filed, the originating Process and other processes in this suit on the Defendants on or before the 13th day of December, 2023.
“Leave is granted to the Claimants/Applicants to serve all the processes listed in paragraph 4 above by substituted means, to wit: by publication in two National Newspaper Or by posing at a conspicuous part of the last known address of the Defendants.
“That this matter is adjourned to 21/12/2023 for motion on notice
GIVEN AT PORT HARCOURT under the seal of the Court and The Hand of the Presiding Judge this 12th day of December, 2023.
