•Court orders parties to maintain status quo

By Daniel Abia & Davies Iheamnachor

Port-Harcourt— The Rivers State House of Assembly was, yesterday, plunged into another round of crisis barely one month after Governor Siminalayi Fubara was threatened with an impeachment threat.

This time, armed policemen, again, took over the complex as members loyal to both factions of Edison Ehie and Martins Amaewhule allegedly held separate sittings at different locations.

No fewer than four police patrol vans were stationed at the entrance of the Assembly complex located on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, as human and vehicular movement in that Axis of the Assembly were restricted.

Sources said that abour 25 lawmakers led by Amaewhule, sat early, yesterday, and reportedly deliberated on two items concerning the suspension of the strike by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PSAN.

The lawmakers apparently loyal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike also called on the state Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, to investigate the explosion at the Assembly which razed the Chamber and destroyed several property.

On the other hand, lawmakers led by factional Speaker, Edison Ehie, passed a vote of confidence on Governor Fubara, declaring that they would swim or float with him.

Rising from a sitting, yesterday, from an unknown location, they commended the governor on his developmental strides and security initiatives to keep the state peaceful.

Ehie, in a statement by Legislative Aide, Ken Uchendu, said: “It takes a man of vision to steer the ship of development for the benefit of the people of the state.”

They resolved to continuously give the governor the required support to accomplish his consolidation and continuity agenda to benefit the state.

The lawmakers also condemned the attack on Ehie’s residence on Sunday night as well as the burning of the House of Assembly and appealed to the governor to commence the rehabilitation works as soon as possible.

“Furthermore, the House impressed on the need for the Inspector General of Police, and other related security apparatus of the state to investigate these attacks and bring the culprits to book,” the statement said.

Court orders parties to maintain status quo

Meanwhile, a  Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered parties in the Rivers State House of Assembly to maintain status quo and suspend further deliberations at the moment until the matter before it was dispensed.

Ehie Edison in suit, had approached the court, praying it  to stop Amaewhule and the other lawmakers from presiding over the activities of the legislative arm of the state.

Trial judge in the matter is Justice Phoebe Ayua. 

Plaintiffs in the suit are Rivers State House of Assembly, Edison, while defendants are Martins  Amaewhule, former Speaker, Dumle Maol, former Deputy Speaker, the Inspector-General of Police, Director, Department of State Security Services, Rivers State, Commissioner of Police, Rivers State.

Justice Ayua in a short ruling, ordered that none of the parties on record should do anything about the matter since all the parties were expected to respect the court.

The order read in part: “That an order is made directing the plaintiffs/applicants to put the respondents on notice forthwith.

“That an oder is, however, made, directing that all parties on record respect the court and should not take any step concerning the subject matter, since the matter is already before this court sub-judice, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on motice.”

Edison, in the suit, is seeking for, amongst others, a declaration that the former speaker and his former deputy, having been removed and suspended from the House, are not entitled to participate, disturb, interfere or obstruct the performance of the legislative proceedings of the House and the legislative duties of the new speaker in accordance with the provisions of sections 90 to 104 of the Constitution of Nigeria.

Further hearing in the case was adjourned till November 27, 2023.