From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has reserved its judgement on the House of Assembly case between Martin Amaewhule and 24 others against Victor Oko-Jumbo and others.
The appellate court, yesterday, said it would deliver judgement on a later date following the completion of defences and arguments by counsels for the parties in the matter. Also, the court adjourned till today for further hearing on other matters on the political crisis in the state pending before it.
The three-man panel of Justice Jimi Olukayode Bada, Justice Hama Akawu Barka and Justice Balkisu Bello Aliyu, made this decision during its sitting on Appeal Number CA/PHC/198/2024, monitored virtually.
In the suit, Amaewhule and 24 others are challenging the interlocutory injunction of Justice Charles Wali of a state High Court in Port Harcourt, which validated the declaration of their seats in the state House of Assembly vacant, pending the determination of the suit before it.
The High Court had also ordered Amaewhule and others to stop parading themselves as members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Rivers State House of Assembly till the matter is concluded. Amaewhule and others, who were not comfortable with the decision of the High Court, appealed the order for a stay and subsequent invalidation of the ruling.
The court on June 14, 2024, had urged the parties in the appeal to maintain status quo and advised the appellants to serve all the processes on the defendants.
Amaewhule, in the suit at the Court of Appeal, is seeking a stay of the interlocutory orders of the High Court challenging the jurisdiction of the lower court to entertain the matter of the state assembly before it. The court reserved to deliver its decision on the subject matter on a date to be communicated later to all the parties involved.