Rivers State: Fed High Court Adjourns Amaewhule, Oko-Jumbo Case Over Missing Key Documents

FEDERAL High Court in Port Harcourt, presided over by Justice Emmanuel Obile, has adjourned the case challenging the legitimacy of Martin Amaewhule as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, along with 26 others following their defection. 

The case was delayed due to the alleged mysterious disappearance of key court documents from the case file.

The suit, filed by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Victor Oko-Jumbo, Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari, and Hon. Adolphus Orubienimigha, seeks to challenge the legitimacy of Amaewhule and the others as Speaker and members of the State Assembly. 

The plaintiffs allege that their defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have rendered their seats vacant.

When the case was called for hearing on Thursday, the plaintiffs argued that the defections had resulted in the vacancies.

 However, during the proceedings, Amaewhule’s lawyer, Ferdinand Orbih, revealed that several crucial documents supporting his clients’ defence were missing from the court’s case file.

As a result, the defence team requested an adjournment to allow time to trace the missing files, a request which was not opposed by the other parties involved.

With the court granting the adjournment, the case is now set to resume on 17th February 2025, when all filed processes will be formally adopted.

The unexpected delay has raised questions among observers, with some speculating whether the missing files are part of a deliberate attempt by Amaewhule and his colleagues to buy more time in the politically charged legal battle.