The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered the 25 lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress to stop sitting or parading themselves as members of the state’s House of Assembly.

The presiding judge, Justice C.N. Wali, on Wednesday, issued the interlocutory injunction against the lawmakers, led by the faction’s speaker, Martins Amaewhule, loyal to the immediate past governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesome Wike.

The suit was filed by another House of Assembly faction, consisting of Sokari Goodboy and Orubienimigha Timothy, and led by speaker Victor Oko-Jombo, who are all loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The embattled pro-Wike lawmakers were listed as 1st to 25th defendants, while the Attorney-General and the Chief Judge of the state were listed as 26th to 28th defendants.

It read, “An order of interlocutory injunction is granted restraining the 1st to 25th defendants from parading and holding out themselves as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and/or meeting/sitting at the auditorium of the House of Assembly Quarters located at off Aba Road Port Harcourt or at any other place whatsoever to purport to carry out the legislative business of the Rivers State House of Assembly, their legislative seats having been declared vacant pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit 

“An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby made restraining the 26th to 28th defendants from dealing with, interfacing, accepting any resolutions, bills and/or however interacting with the 1st to 25th defendants in their purported capacities as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly their legislative seats having been declared vacant with effect from 13th December, 2023 pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit,” it added.

The court therefore adjourned the matter until July 1, 2024, for mention.