The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved its judgment on an appeal filed by former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 24 others against current Speaker, Victor Oko-Jumbo, and five others.
The appellate court adjourned the case after all parties involved adopted their briefs. The proceedings, conducted virtually on Thursday, saw Amaewhule and his colleagues request the court to stay the execution of a high court judgment that removed them from office. They also sought to nullify any decisions made by Jumbo during his tenure and called for an accelerated hearing, arguing that the trial court's order was issued without jurisdiction.
In response, Oko-Jumbo and his co-defendants urged the court to dismiss the appeal, claiming it lacked merit and that the records of appeal were incompetent.
After hearing submissions from both sides, the three-man panel led by Justice Jimi Olukayode-Bada reserved judgment, stating that the date would be communicated to the parties later. The appellate court had previously ordered all parties to maintain the status quo and cease hostilities until the matter is resolved. This ruling came in response to an ex parte motion by the appellants seeking to reverse a high court judgment that declared their seats vacant.
The Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt had, on May 10, 2024, ruled that Martin Amaewhule should no longer parade himself as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. The court's order came after Victor Jumbo and two others filed a motion asserting that Amaewhule’s seat had been declared vacant. Justice Charles Wali also barred 24 other Assembly members from accessing the complex or conducting legislative activities.
Unhappy with the State High Court's verdict, Amaewhule and the others appealed to the higher court.
