The Court of Appeal, Abuja division, dismissed the ex parte order issued on May 10, 2024, by the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt, which barred Martin Amaewhule from parading himself as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The court also nullified the decision of the state high court that prevented 24 pro-Wike lawmakers from accessing the Assembly complex or performing any legislative duties.
A three-man panel led by Justice Jimi Olukayode-Bada upheld the appeal filed by factional Speaker Martin Amaewhule and 24 others against Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo and two others.
The state high court had previously barred the pro-Wike lawmakers based on a suit seeking to declare their seats vacant, arguing they defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Amaewhule-led lawmakers had defected from the PDP to the APC in December 2023, amid a political rift between former Rivers governor Nyesom Wike and the current governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The appellate court’s decision to reinstate the pro-Wike lawmakers has led to a division within the APC in Rivers State.
Since 2023, the Rivers State House of Assembly has been polarized due to the feud between Fubara and Wike. Amaewhule led the pro-Wike lawmakers, while Edison Ehie emerged as a factional Speaker leading the pro-Fubara lawmakers.
In December 2023, the pro-Wike lawmakers announced their defection from the PDP to the APC, and Ehie later resigned as a lawmaker to become Fubara’s Chief of Staff. Subsequently, in May 2024, Oko-Jumbo was elected Speaker by the pro-Fubara faction.
The pro-Fubara lawmakers approached Justice Charles Wali of the state high court, who issued an order restraining the 25 pro-Wike lawmakers from parading themselves as Assembly members following their defection.
The judge also barred the pro-Wike lawmakers from conducting legislative sittings and restrained Governor Fubara from interacting with or accepting resolutions and bills from them.
Displeased with the ruling, the pro-Wike lawmakers appealed, leading to the appellate court’s pronouncement on Thursday.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Olukayode-Bada stated, “The trial court lacked the jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit of the respondents and there must be an existence of real urgency and not self-induced urgency in granting an ex parte.”
The appellate court’s judgment has caused discord within the Rivers APC. T
he Rivers State APC Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Tony Okocha, an ally of Wike, welcomed the verdict, stating that it affirmed the pro-Wike lawmakers’ authority.
However, the faction loyal to former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, disagreed with this interpretation.
In a message sent to our correspondent, Okocha expressed satisfaction with the judgment, asserting that justice had been served.
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