Court delivers judgment on Rivers assembly, Fubara suit Monday

The Federal High Court, Abuja will on Monday deliver judgment in the suit by the Speaker Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, against Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the National Assembly, and others.

This was disclosed in a notice sent to parties involved in the matter on Sunday.

In the matter marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1613/2023, the Rivers State House of Assembly and Amaewhule are the two plaintiffs.

The National Assembly, Senate President, Deputy Senate President, Senate Majority Leader, and Senate Minority Leader are the first to the fifth defendants respectively.

The House of Representatives Speaker, House Deputy Speaker, House Majority Leader, House Minority Leader, and Clerk to the National Assembly are the sixth to the 10th defendants.

Other defendants are the Governor of Rivers State, Attorney-General of Rivers, Commissioner of Finance, Accountant-General of Rivers, Rivers State Civil Service Commission, Inspector-General of Police, and Edison Ehie the 11th to the 17th defendants.

The plaintiffs sought an order of injunction restraining the first to the 10th defendants from entertaining any request from Fubara to take over the performance of the functions of Rivers State Assembly, including its role to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of Rivers in respect of matters that are within its constitutional and legislative competence.

They sought an order of injunction restraining Fubara from impeding or frustrating the assembly under Amaewhule’s leadership as its speaker.

Justice James Omotoso is the presiding judge in the matter.

The suit was filed during the heat of the crisis in the state.

The crisis was caused as a result of the frosty relationship between the immediate past governor of the state and the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, and the governor.

President Bola Tinubu, however, summoned Wike and Fubara to a meeting in Abuja on December 18, where they signed an eight-point resolution to settle the political crisis.