Court restrains Rivers assembly from sacking governor

• The judge adjourned the matter to November 14 for argument of the motion on notice

Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara has secured an order from the Rivers High Court, Isiokpo Judicial Division, halting moves by the House of Assembly to impeach him.

The Presiding Judge, O. Ben-Whyte, who granted the motion exparte in a suit file by Fubara, ordered the parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive case.

The judge, in a copy of the order, said: “Upon this motion exparte coming up before this honourable court for hearing and determination and after reading the supporting affidavit of Siminalayi Fubara filed on the 31st day of October, 2023 at the High Court Registry, Isiokpo and having listened to the submission of D.O. Okoro, SAN with I. Mac-Barango of counsel for the claimant/applicant hereby ordered as follows:

“That the parties in this case maintain the status quo in the case by not doing anything in furtherance of the purported impeachment of the applicant as the governor of Rivers State pending the determination of the motion on notice”

The judge adjourned the matter to November 14 for argument of the motion on notice.

The suit named Fubara as the claimant and listed the defendants as Rivers State House of Assembly, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Clerk of the House and Chief Judge of Rivers State.