Coast clear for Akpabio to emerge Senate Minority Leader

The coast may now be clear for former Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio to aspire for the post of Minority Leader of the Senate as a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday refused to grant an interim order stopping the appointment or selection of the post.
The plaintiffs, Alaye Pedro and Dr. Okechukwu Ibeh, had approached the court for the order.
In their ex parte application for the interim order they indicated that Akpabio had been tipped for the position in breach of the Senate Standing Order which prohibits appointment of a first term senator like the former governor into any principal office of the Senate.
But Justice Gabriel Kolawole, after hearing the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mr. B. J Akomolafe on Tuesday, dismissed majority of their prayers contained in the ex parte application, holding in his ruling on Wednesday that the plaintiffs not being members of the Senate, lacked the locus standi to file the suit and be granted such application.
Read also: GEJ, Ekweremadu, Akpabio clash over NASS offices
The judge then adjourned the main suit till October 5‎ and opted to return the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court who will re-assign same to another judge when the court resumes from its ongoing vacation.

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