A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has set December 5, 2023, as the commencement date for a hearing on a suit filed by Edison Ehie, the member representing Ahoada East State Constituency 2 in the state House of Assembly.
The suit seeks to prevent Martins Amaewhule from presiding over the activities of the Assembly.
Justice Phoebe Ayua, the presiding judge, adjourned the case to December to allow parties to serve court documents on each other after being informed of difficulties in the service process.
The matter came up in court on Monday, when K.C.O. Njemanze, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the court of his intention to replace the plaintiff’s counsel. However, N.O Akporuvweku, the lead counsel to the applicant, objected to this oral application, insisting that they remain the defendants for the plaintiff.
In the meantime, Ferdinand Oshoke, the counsel to the first and second defendants, requested the court to consolidate and expedite the hearing on all applications filed in the matter, given its importance to the legislative arm of government.
Amaewhule and Ehie each lead rival factions of the Assembly, claiming to be the rightful speaker. This division arose following the October 29 fire that engulfed the Assembly’s hallowed chamber and the subsequent attempted impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara on October 30.
Ehie is an ally of Governor Fubara, while Amaewhule is loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who is suspected of orchestrating the impeachment attempt.
Fubara and Wike’s relationship deteriorated less than six months after the former’s inauguration. The reasons for their rift remain unclear, with no credible explanations for the sudden breakdown in their relationship.
