June 14, (THEWILL) – The Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal has issued an order urging the two parties in the Rivers State House of Assembly to maintain the status quo and suspend further actions until the determination of an appeal before it.
The order followed an appeal filed by 25 defected Rivers Assembly pro-Wike lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule against the ruling of a Rivers State High Court presided over by Justice Charles N. Wali, delivered on May 10 and 30, which granted an order restraining them from sitting and parading themselves as members of the Assembly.
Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo and two others, including Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy had in a suit filed through their lawyers, B.N. Owunabo, Esq, K. O. Ogunjobi, Esq, B. S. Orupabo, Esq, 0. J. Ifejika, Esq. and T. Aprioku, Esq, argued that Amaewhule and 24 other defected lawmakers ceased to be members of the Rivers State House of Assembly since December 13 when their seats were declared vacant.
The 25 lawmakers had announced their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on December 11, 2023. Subsequently, the Rivers Assembly, led by former Speaker Edison Ehie, on December 13, declared their seats vacant following their defection.
In a ruling delivered via Zoom on the appeal No.CAs/PH/198/2024, filed by the 25 lawmakers against Oko-Jumbo and five others, a three-member panel of Justices, including Jimi Olukayode Bada, Hamma Akawu Barka, and Balikisu Bello Aliyu, ordered that parties maintain status quo.
It further restrained the parties from taking any further action pending the hearing of the appeal.
The court adjourned until June 20, for hearing on the appeal.
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