Connect with us

News

Court bars Senate, Reps from taking over Edo Assembly

Published

on

POWER FAILURE: Gov Obaseki sends BEDC boss out of his office

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday barred the National Assembly from interfering in the affairs of the Edo State House of Assembly.

The court ordered parties not to take any further steps on the issue pending the determination of the substantive suit before it.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who is sitting as the court’s vacation judge, gave the order for parties to maintain status-quo antebellum, while adjourning the hearing of the substantive suit until August 22, 2019.

Justice Taiwo said the order was intended to. prevent parties, particularly the respondents from foisting on the court a fait accompli.

Read also: #REVOLUTIONNOW: Buhari’s govt planning to silence opposition – Human Rights Watch

The order was informed by the apprehension expressed by lawyer to the plaintiff, Ola Olanipekun (SAN), who said there were threats by the respondents to tamper with the subject of the dispute.

The judge refused to hear the plaintiff’s motion for interlocutory injunctions but elected to hear the substantive suit and granted accelerated hearing.

He ordered the respondents to file their responses to the main suit within seven days and for the plaintiff to file his reply within five days.

The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/815/2019 was filed by the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Francis Okiye, and it is aimed, among others, to stop the National Assembly from taking over the functions of the state Assembly.

Respondents in the suit were the Clerk of the National Assembly and the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now