Rivers Assembly Crisis: Ex-Speaker, Deputy Risk Jail Term over Court Contempt

Wale Igbintade

A Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, has been asked to commit a former Speaker, Rivers House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule, and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Dumle Maol, to prison for alleged refusal to obey an order of the court.
Already, the new Speaker,  Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie, has filed Form 48, being a notice of consequence of disobedience of Court Order against the former speaker and his deputy.

The Applicants in the suit are the Rivers State House of Assembly, and the Speaker, RT. HON. (Barr) Ehie Ogerenye Edison, while the alleged contemnors are Rt.Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule,  (Former Speaker, Rivers House of Assembly), Rt.Hon. Dumle Maol, (Former Deputy Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly) the Inspector General of Police, the Director, Department of State Security Services, Rivers State, and the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State.

The Applicants in suit number FHC/PHC/CS/240/2023 alleged that the 1st and 2nd Respondents disobeyed the order of the Court made on the 7th day of November, 2023, which ordered parties not to take any step concerning the subject matter of the suit before the court.
Ehie, in the processes, accused the former Speaker 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.

The Form 48, titled ‘Notice of Consequences of Disobedience of Order of Court’ was dated the 22nd day of November, 2023 and signed by the Registrar of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt Judicial Division.
The alleged contemnors were warned that they would be liable to be committed to prison unless they obey the order of the Court.

Justice Phoebe Ayuba of the Federal High Court upon the application of Ehie and the Rivers State House of Assembly, issued an order directing all parties to the Rivers Assembly crisis to maintain the status and not to take any step concerning the subject matter of the suit until the determination of the motion on notice.

The order of the case, which has been adjourned to the 27th of November, 2023, read: “That the prayers as stated on the Motion paper are denied. That an Order is made directing the Plaintiffs/Applicants to put the Respondents on Notice forthwith.
“That an Order is however, made, directing that all parties on record respect the Court and should not take any step concerning the subject matter, since the matter is already before this Court — sub judice”