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Twice bitten! Justice Abang rejects Jibrin’s case, again

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You stand with Dogara and corruption or with Nigerians, Jibrin writes lawmakers
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice Okon Abang, on Thursday refused to hear the suit filed by Abdulmumin Jibrin to stop an alleged plan by the House to suspend him.
 
With this development, the former Chairman of Appropriation Committee of the House of Representatives may be in for serious trouble as his hope that the suit would be heard and determined before the House resumes from recess has been dashed.
 
Abang has been sitting as the court’s vacation judge but returned the file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for re-assignment to another judge when the regular court resumes in September. 
 
His reason is that, it would be impossible for him to conclude the case before he winds up as vacation judge next week.
 
He said the only option available before him was to return the case file to the Chief Judge for re-assignment.
 
Abdulamid Mohammed, the plaintiff’s lawyer had on Thursday told the court that the defendants served him with their notice of preliminary objection on Wednesday and that he has filed a reply. He asked for a short stand-down of the proceedings to allow him to retrieve a copy of his response from the court’s registry in order for the hearing to proceed.
 
But Kalu Onuoha , the defendants’ lawyer objected to Mohammed’s request for a stand-down and sought for an adjournment to enable him to study the plaintiff’s response and decide whether or not to equally respond.
 
 
Justice Abang responding said there was no need commencing hearing in the case during vacation mainly as he would not be able to conclude hearing and determination of the case before the end of the court’s vacation on September 9.
 
Defendants in the suit are the House of Representatives, the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Yusuf Lasun (Deputy Speaker), Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Leo Ogor, Herman Hembe, Umar Mohammed Bago, Zakari Mohammed, Chike Okafor, Dan Asuquo, Jagaba Adms, Haliru Jika and Uzoma Abonta.
 
Abang, had on Wednesday August 17, also refused to hear two separate suits filed by Abdulmumin Jibrin over budget padding allegation.
 
Then his reason was that, the plaintiff failed to obtain the court’s leave to have his cases heard during the ongoing vacation.
By Ebere Ndukwu …
 
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