A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has been asked to commit the former Speaker, Rivers House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule and former deputy, Rt. Hon. Dumle Maol to prison over an alleged refusal to obey an order of the court.
The new Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Barr) Ehie Ogerenye Edison filed Form 48, which is a notice of consequence of disobedience of the court order against the former speaker and former deputy.
The applicants in the suit are the Rivers State House of Assembly, and the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Edison, while the defendants are Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, (Former Speaker, Rivers House of Assembly), Rt.Hon. Dumle Maol, (Former Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly) the Inspector General of Police, the Director, Department of State Security Services, Rivers State, and the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State.
The applicants in suit FHC/PHC/CS/240/2023 alleged that the respondents disobeyed a court order issued on November 7, 2023, ordering parties to maintain the status quo.
Rt. Hon. Edison in the application accused the former Speaker of invading the Rivers State House of Assembly and purportedly holding a sitting of the House in flagrant violation of the order of the court for parties to maintain status.
The Form 48 which is titled ‘Notice of Consequences of Disobedience of Order of Court’ is dated November 22, 2023, and signed by the Registrar of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Judicial Division.
The alleged contemnors were warned that they would be liable to be committed to prison unless they obey the order of the Court.
Chronicle NG reports that Justice Phoebe Ayuba of the Federal High Court issued an order directing all parties to the Rivers Assembly crisis to maintain the status and not to take any step concerning the subject matter of the suit until the determination of the motion on notice.
The case has been adjourned to November 27, 2023.
The order reads, “That the prayers as stated on the Motion paper are denied.
“That an order is made directing the plaintiffs/applicants to put the respondents on notice forthwith.
“That an order is, however, made, directing that all parties on record respect the court and should not take any step concerning the subject matter, since the matter is already before this court -sub judice.”
