A Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has ordered the parties involved in the ongoing House of Assembly crisis in the state to maintain the status quo.
The Court of Appeal gave the order in a suit marked CA/PH/198/2024 instituted by Hon. Martin Amaewhule and 24 others (Appellants) against Rt Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo and five others (Defendants).
Amaewhule and others had approached the apex court seeking to vacate the interlocutory injunction of a high court sitting in Port Harcourt, which empowered Oko-Jumbo to keep on with the leadership of the state assembly.
Justice Charles Wali of the State High Court had also ordered Amaewhule and 24 others to stop parading as speakers and lawmakers in the legislative arm of the state.
The Court also held that all the laws made by Amaewhule and others were in nullity until the determination of the matter.
But the three-man Appeal Court Panel made up of Hon. Justice Jimi Olukayode Bada, Hon. Justice Hamma Akawu and Hon. Justice Balkisu Bello Aliyu, which sat virtually, urged the parties involved in the matter to maintain the status quo and adjourned till July 20th.
The Appeal Panel tasked the parties not to take any step that would affect the merit of the matter before it and stated that notice of appeal be served on the defendants before the adjourned date.
