Breaking News: Federal High Court Restrains House Representatives From Reconvening.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered parties in a suit filed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, and the All Progressives Congress, to maintain status quo till Friday.

Based on an exparte application filed by Tambuwal and the APC  and heard on Monday, the court order implied that the House of Representatives could not reconvene sitting before Friday.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed made the order in a ruling on the exparte application, which sought to restrain the House of Representatives from reconvening earlier than December 3, to which its sitting had been adjourned.

Justice Mohammed said the order was necessary in order to protect the subject matter in the suit.

Though the judge did not specifically make an order restraining the reconvening of the the sitting of the House of Representatives, he ordered status quo to be maintained, and also directed parties to appear in court on Friday.

 

Justice Mohammed ordered that the defendants in the suit should be served with copies of the enrolled order which the court made on Monday and the ex parte motion of the applicants.

He directed the defendants to appear in court on Friday to show cause why the prayers sought in the ex parte application should not be granted.

The defendants in the suit are the Peoples Democratic Party, its National  Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, the House of Representatives, Ihedioha, Inspector General of Police, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke.

A counsel for the Speaker and the APC, Mr. Sunday Ameh (SAN), had while moving the application urged the court to protect the subject matter of the suit which they filed last Friday challenging an alleged plan by the PDP to remove him declare his seat as Speaker and member of the House vacant.

 

The lawyer told the court that granting the orders will help preserve the subject matter of their suit which is the position of Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, his membership of the House as well his security which are all under threat.He further told the court that the PDP had summoned its members at the House of Reps alongside the Deputy Speaker, Ihedioha, for the purpose of plotting the re-convening of the House in order to discuss the removal of Tambuwal as the Speaker and member of the House.He also pointed out that Order 5 Rules 18(1)(2) and (3) of the House Standing Rules empowered the Speaker to reconvene the House by directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives to notify members.

He added that it was unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void for the PDP to move to reconvene the House outside the Speaker.The court, after ordering that the House should not be reconvened, adjourned till Friday when the defendants are expected to show cause why all the prayers being sought by Tambuwal and APC should not be granted.
Source:Punch News