Rivers Assembly moves sitting to Govt House after complex demolition

Following the demolition work on the Rivers State House of Assembly complex building located on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, members of the 10th Assembly led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, on Wednesday, moved their sitting to the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

It was gathered that the directives for the lawmakers to resume their sittings in a complex within the Government House was given by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, pending when the renovation of the Assembly would be completed.

The crisis that has dogged the State House of Assembly was settled, albeit temporarily on Tuesday after a State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, gave a judgement that allowed Edison to remain the Speaker of the Assembly until the matter before the court was dispensed with.

The court also ordered Edison who is one of the lawmakers loyal to Fubara to continue overseeing proceedings in the House till a final judgement is given.

The order was given by the President of the court, Justice M.W. Danagogo, while ruling on an experte motion filed by Ehie against Martin Amaewhule and Dumle Maol, who were listed as 1st and 2nd defendants respectively.

Part of Edison’s prayers before the court included an order mandating Amaewhule and others to stop entering the Assembly complex until the burnt chamber is fully renovated by the government.

Edison also asked the court to order that he lawfully takes over the Speakership of the Assembly until the matter is dispensed with.

He also asked the court to stop Amaewhule from parading himself as the Speaker of the House or presiding over plenary.

In granting the interim order, Danagogo ruled that Amaewhule and others should stop using the Assembly premises as the facility was still under renovation.

The court, however, added a clause that Edison would be held liable to pay N50 million as damages if the application before the court turned out to be frivolous.

It further ordered the claimants to serve the interim order, motion on notice already filed, originating process, and other processes in the suit on the defendants on or before December 13.

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