A Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, the speaker of the House, and five others to show cause why plans to impeach the Deputy Governor of the state, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, should not be stopped, pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice before it.
Justice Emeka gave the order on October 27, 2025, while ruling on an ex-parte motion marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/2219/2025, filed by the Bayelsa State deputy governor against the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and the speaker of the state House of Assembly.
Other defendants in the case are the inspector-general of police, director of the Department of State Services (DSS), attorney general of Bayelsa State, the chief judge of Bayelsa State, and the clerk of the state House of Assembly.
Ewhrudjakpo had, in the motion filed on October 17, sought an order of interim injunction directing the defendants to appear and show cause why the prayers for the granting of an interim injunction should not be granted, pending the hearing and determination of the aforesaid motion on notice.
Also, the deputy governor prayed for an order of court restraining the defendants from removing or impeaching him from office, in disregard of the provisions of Section 188 (5), (6), (7)(a), (b), (8), (9) and (11) and Section 36(1) of the 1999 constitution, arising from his decision not to defect/decamp from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any registered political party before the expiration of his four years tenure.
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The deputy governor further sought an order restraining the defendants from conducting any meeting, sitting, or conference for the purpose of initiating impeachment proceedings against him, as well as an order restraining the defendants from recognizing and dealing with the appointment of any member of the APC as the deputy governor of the state pending the hearing of the motion of notice.
Ewhrudjakpo wants the defendants restrained from conducting an illegal and unlawful impeachment move against him, and also an order restraining them from making plans to initiate impeachment proceedings against him.
He also prayed for an order of court restraining the heads of security agencies, and the state attorney general from withdrawing his security protection, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
Upon reading the affidavit in support of the motion ex parte, sworn to by Kareem Henry, and after hearing arguments canvassed by the plaintiff’s counsel, Reuben Egwuaba, the court, in a ruling delivered on October 27, a certified true copy of which was made available to reporters on Wednesday, granted the first prayer of the plaintiff.
Consequently, Justice Nwite granted an order for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th defendants to appear and show cause why an order on interim injunction should not be granted against them, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction which seeks to restrain the defendants from making any move to impeach the deputy governor.
He then adjourned the case till November 13, 2015, for the hearing of the motion on notice for the granting of an interlocutory injunction against the defendants.
