• Court orders factions to suspend sittings
• Police tighten security 

Crisis rocking Rivers State House of Assembly has persisted as the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, and factional speaker, Edison Ehie, yesterday, in different sittings passed resolutions.

It was learned that the faction of the Assembly, led by Ehie, passed a vote of confidence on the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, while Amaewhule’s faction asked the police to probe the burning of the Assembly chamber.

The Ehie faction sat in an undisclosed location and commended the governor for his developmental strides and security initiatives towards keeping the state peaceful.

The lawmakers pledged their continued support for the governor to enable him accomplish his consolidation and continuity agenda.

The Ehie faction met as 25 lawmakers of the Assembly, led by Amaewhule, sat at the Assembly complex, early in the morning.

It was gathered that the lawmakers deliberated on two items concerning the suspension of the strike by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN).

The lawmakers also asked the police to investigate the burning of the chamber.

Four police vans were stationed at the entrance of the Assembly complex. There was slight restriction of vehicular and human movement on the Moscow Road during the sitting.

MEANWHILE, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has issued an order urging the two factions in Rivers House of Assembly to maintain the status quo and suspend further deliberations at the moment until the matter is dispensed.

Ehie Edison in Suit No: FHC/PH/CS/240/2023 had approached the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Phoebe Ayua, praying the court to stop Amaewhule and the other lawmakers from presiding over the activities of the legislative arm of the state.

Parties in the suit are Rivers State House of Assembly, as first plaintiff; and Ehie Ogerenye Edison (Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly) as the second defendant.

Justice Ayua, in his ruling, ordered that none of the parties on record should do anything about the matter since all the parties are expected to respect the court.

The order read in part: “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 – subjudice – pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”