18th July, 2019
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Bid by 12 lawmakers-elect in Edo State to take over the Edo State House of Assembly on Thursday suffered serious setback, when a Benin City High Court rejected their plea for an interim injunction restraining security agencies from barricading and cordoning off the Assembly complex.
The security operatives asked to be restrained are the Edo State Commissioner of Police; Director, Department of State Services, Edo State, and Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
In suit no B/81OS/2019, Victor Edoror, (Esan Central Constituency), Barr. Washington Osifo, (Uhunmwode Constituency), Crosby Eribo (Egor Constituency), on behalf of the 12 pro-Adams Oshiomhole members-elect, asked the court to restrain the Speaker of the Assembly, Frank Okiye, and his Deputy, Yekini Idiaye, from parading themselves as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, respectively.
The Claimants are also challenging the constitutionality of the inauguration of the 7th Edo State House of Assembly.
They noted that “there is need to restrain the 1st and 2nd Defendants from further parading themselves, describing themselves or acting or purport to exercise the powers and functions of the office of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively until the hearing and determination of this suit.”
The Claimants were however not in court.
In his ruling, Justice O. Erhabor who ordered the Abuja-based lawmakers-elect to put the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and other defendants on notice of their suit before him, rejected the ex-parte application, saying it was lacking in merit.
He, thereafter, adjourned the matter to July 24 for mentioning.