Rivers State High Court, sitting in Ahoada, restrained a member representing Ogu/Bolo constituency in the assembly and leader of the anti-Amaechi lawmakers, Hon. Evans Bipi, from laying claims to the speakership of the assembly.
Justice C. N. Wali, ruling in an ex-parte motion for an order of interim injunction filed by the Speaker, Hon. Otelemaba Amachree and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Leyi Kwane, ordered that all parties to the issue should maintain the status quo ante bellum prior to the commencement of hostilities among the lawmakers on July 9.
Named as defendants in the suit are the assembly, 28 members of the state legislature, including Bipi, who is the 25th defendant, the Inspector General of Police (IG), Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 6, Calabar, the state Commissioner of Police and the Nigeria Police Force.
Ruling on the ex-parte motion, backed by an affidavit deposed to by Kwane, Justice Wali granted an order stopping Bipi from further parading himself as speaker, calling himself or acknowledging himself as speaker of the state assembly or allowing himself to be so addressed without promptly refuting such appellation.
He also stopped Bipi from acting in any manner whatsoever as speaker of the assembly or from obstructing Amachree from discharging his legal duties as speaker.
The judge ordered the police to enforce the court orders while adjourning further hearing in the case until January 6, 2014.
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Politics