Rivers Crisis: Lawmakers Loyal To Wike Wins In Court (WHAT HAPPENED)

Rivers Crisis: Lawmakers Loyal To Wike Wins In Court (WHAT HAPPENED)

The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a restraining order preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from organizing by-elections to fill the vacant seats of 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The seats were declared vacant by a factional speaker, Edison Ehie, last Wednesday after 27 lawmakers defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Governor Siminalayi Fubara supports Mr. Ehie, while the 27-member faction led by Martin Amaewhule is loyal to Nyesom Wike, the former governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The political battle between Siminalayi and Wike revolves around control of the Rivers State political structure within the PDP.

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In a move to prevent by-elections and protect their rights, the Wike-backed faction filed an ex-parte request on December 13, urging the Federal High Court to restrain the Rivers State House of Assembly, INEC, and the PDP from actions that could undermine their rights.

The court order also restrains the State Security Service (SSS), the Inspector General of Police, and the Clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly from depriving them of their rights, including the withdrawal of police security. The order was granted by Justice Donatus Okorowo on Friday.

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In the interim ruling on Friday, the judge, Mr Okorowo, restrained INEC and the Rivers parliament “from declaring vacant or taking any steps whatsoever to declare the seats of the plaintiffs at the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

“An interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the 1st defendant (INEC) from conducting fresh elections to fill the seats of the plaintiffs (the 27 lawmakers) in the Rivers State House of Assembly, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

The judge has prohibited the six defendants from obstructing the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in performing their legislative duties as the speaker, deputy speaker, and members of the parliament. Justice Okorowo has also restrained the Inspector-General of Police and the State Security Service (SSS) from refusing to provide security to the lawmakers or withdrawing their security details.

Subsequently, the judge adjourned the suit until December 28 for further proceedings.

The political turmoil in Rivers took a new turn when Governor Fubara presented the state’s 2024 appropriation bill to a four-member faction of the parliament at the Government House in Port Harcourt last week. The state High Court had granted an injunction in favor of the four lawmakers, restraining the Amaewhule-led group from interfering with the responsibilities of the Governor Fubara-backed legislators.

The Assembly had split into two factions in October due to attempts by some lawmakers to remove Governor Fubara from office, resulting in a power struggle and an incident where part of the Assembly complex was bombed.

The discord between Governor Fubara and Mr. Wike led to the factionalization, with Martin Amaewhule heading the 27-member faction loyal to Mr. Wike, while Mr. Ehie, a former leader of the assembly, emerged as the speaker of the faction loyal to the governor. The two factions have been holding parallel plenary sessions at different locations in Port Harcourt.

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