A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has issued Form 48 against the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Dumle Maol for contempt of court.
The issuance of Form 48 is pursuant to an application made by the Rt. Hon. Ehie Ogerenye Edison and the Rivers State House of Assembly for disobeying the order of the Court made on the 7th day of November 2023.
The court in suit number FHC/PH/CS/240/2023, filed by the Rivers State House of Assembly as the first plaintiff and Rt. Hon. (Barr) Ehie Ogerenye Edison as the second plaintiff, had ordered the parties not to take any steps concerning the subject matter of the suit before the court.
But, on Monday, the Assembly under Amaewhule sat at the Assembly complex under alleged police coverage and deliberated on several issues.
Edison, who says he was elected by 26 of his colleagues as the new Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the process filed in court, accused Amaewhule 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 quo.
Following this, the court entered Form 48 titled ‘Notice of Consequences of Disobedience of Order of Court’, dated November 22, 2023, and signed by the Registrar of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Judicial Division.
The notice issued in the case presided over by Justice Phoebe Ayua warned that the defendants would be liable to be committed to prison unless they obeyed the order of the Court and maintained the status quo.
It read, “To: 1. Rt. Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule (Former Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, House of Assembly Complex, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State) 2. Rt. Hon. Dumle Maol (Former Deputy, Speaker State House of Assembly, Complex, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State).
“Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this order, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”
Recall that Justice Ayua of the Federal High Court, upon the application of the new Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ehie Edison, and the Rivers State House of Assembly issued an order directing all parties to the Rivers Assembly crisis to maintain their status.
Justice Ayua also asked the parties not to take any step concerning the subject matter of the suit until the determination of the motion is on notice and adjourned until November 27, 2023.