Edo Assembly/Court Orders maintenance of Status-Quo/Stops NASS from taking over.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered parties to a suit challenging the alleged plans by the National Assembly to interfere in the affairs of the Edo State House of Assembly not to take any further steps on the issue pending the determination of the substantive case.
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.
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.
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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.
Listed as respondents are: the Clerk of the National Assembly and the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
It will be recalled that the Edo State 7th Assembly was on June 17, inaugurated under circumstances that has angered certain parties, with nine out of 24 members-elect, selecting Hon. Francis Okiye as the Speaker.
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. Ola Olanipekun, SAN, had lamented before the court that the Senate had after it was duly served with the legal processes, still passed a resolution on July 30 to take over the Edo Assembly if the governor fails to issue fresh proclamation.
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