A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Monday, issued an exparte order of interim injunction barring the Chief Judge of the state and the Clerk of the state House of Assembly from dealing with the Martins Amaewhule-led state House of Assembly.

The order issued by Justice Jumbo Stephen also prevented them from dealing with Amaewhule and 26 others as members of the Assembly, and from acting on any resolutions, articles of impeachment, or communications from them.

The suit marked PHC/2177/CS/2024 was filed by the Attorney General of the state as the first plaintiff and the Governor of the State, Siminialayi Fubara, as the second plaintiff, against Amaewhule and 26 others, as the first set of defendants, and Victor Oko-Jumbo, and others, CJ of the State and Clerk of the State House of Assembly and the Peoples Democratic Party as second sets of defendants.

The court also ordered all parties to maintain the status quo ante litem as of July 5, 2024, until the motion for an interlocutory injunction is heard and determined.

The order read, “That an order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the 31st and 32nd defendants from dealing or howsoever relating with the first to 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 order of the defendants pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction already filed herein.

“That the parties to this suit are hereby directed to maintain the status quo ante litem in this suit as at 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 court, however, adjourned till July 15, 2024, for the motion on notice for Interlocutory injunction.

Our correspondent reports that this came as the Amaewhule -ed lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, earlier on Monday gave Fubara a seven-day ultimatum to re-present the 2024 budget before it.