Judge Restrains Rivers Chief Judge from Impeachment Action
Rivers Chief Judge Stopped from Receiving Impeachment Notice
The governor's notice of impeachment against Rivers Chief Judge is prevented by the court.
Rivers State High Court issues interim order preventing Chief Judge from acting on impeachment notice against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, amid political tensions and parallel legislative sessions.
Rivers State's top judge, Simone Chibuzor-Amadi, is prohibited from acting on any resolution or document that calls for the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara by an interim order issued by a high court in the state.
Presiding Judge Jumbo Stephen also barred the chief judge and state assembly clerk from interacting with Martin Amaewhule and 26 other lawmakers in his decision to rule on an ex parte motion filed by the governor and the state attorney general. Amaewhule is the speaker of the legislature's group that supports former governor Nyesom Wike.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), factional speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo, Sokari Goodboy, Orubienimigha Anthony, and the chief judge and assembly clerk are among the other defendants in addition to the 27 lawmakers who support Wike.
Until the application for an interlocutory injunction is considered and decided, the court further ordered the parties to maintain the status quo ante litem.
“That an order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the 31st and 32nd defendants from dealing or howsoever relating with the 1st-27th defendants as members of the Rivers state house of assembly and from receiving, forwarding or howsoever acting on any resolutions, articles of impeachment or other defendants pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction already filed herein,” the judge ruled.
“That the parties to this suit are hereby directed to maintain the status quo ante litem in this suit as of 5th July 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction already filed herein.
“An order is hereby made for substituted service of the originating and other processes in this suit on the 1st-30th defendants by pasting the same at quarters, opposite former NDDC headquarters, off Aba Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.”
The motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction was set for July 15 by the judge.
Judge Charles Wali of the High Court reprimanded the legislators belonging to Amaewhule's faction on May 30 from holding legislative sessions anywhere, even in the legislative chambers. On July 4, however, the court of appeals reversed this ruling.
The trial court lacked jurisdiction to consider the action, according to a three-member appellate court panel chaired by Jimi Olukayode-Bada. The panel concluded that only a federal high court has the authority to hear and decide cases of this nature.
Parallel sessions between the two factions were held in Port Harcourt on Monday, July 8. Governor Fubara has been requested by the Wike-supporting faction of the assembly to resubmit the state's 2024 budget within a week. The legislative quarters hosted the plenary meeting of these pro-Wike legislators.
Fubara is not permitted to use funds from the state's consolidated revenue fund, according to the Amaewhule-led legislature.
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