The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Thursday extended the December 15 interim order stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from taking any action step against the 26 Rivers House of Assembly members who defected to All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Donatus Okorowo extended the order following an application by counsel for the embattled lawmakers, Steve Adehi, SAN, and supported by Ken Njemanze, SAN, who appeared for the Rivers House of Assembly.
Although PDP’s lawyer, Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, opposed the application, Justice Okorowo agreed that based on Order 26, Rule 10 of the FHC, the court had the discretionary power to grant the plea in the interest of justice.
The judge held that he was persuaded by the reasons given by Messrs Adehi and Njemanze that granting the order would be better in the interest of justice.
Mr Okorowo, who adjourned the matter until January 24 for hearing of the applications, said: “application for the extension of the order of the lifespan of the ex-parte order pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice is hereby granted.”
On December 15, the judge granted the ex-parte motion filed by the 26 lawmakers who dumped PDP for APC.
The court restrained INEC from conducting fresh elections to fill the seats of the 26 assembly members.
Upon resuming the hearing on Thursday, the plaintiffs’ counsel informed the court that he had a motion on notice originally meant for a hearing today.
Mr Adehi, however, sought an adjournment in view of the fact that Lukman Fagbemi, SAN, had withdrawn his appearance and a new counsel had entered an appearance in the matter for the third defendant (assembly) and because the second defendant (PDP) had just served on them their response this morning.
Then Mr Njemanze told the court that he had the instruction of the third defendant (assembly) to take over the brief with the original letter of instruction backing this after the withdrawal of the earlier counsel, Mr Fagbemi.
He equally informed that a memorandum of appearance had already been filed.
A lawyer from Mr Fagbemi’s chamber confirmed that the learner silk had withdrawn from the suit.
The PDP’s lawyer, Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, also the party’s national legal adviser, said he had an application challenging the court’s jurisdiction to handle the suit and the competence of the suit itself.
He, therefore, prayed the court for an order discharging the December 15 interim order granted by the court.
Mr Ajibade said the plaintiffs had responded to their preliminary objection but had not responded to their second application, a motion seeking the court’s order to discharge the interim order.
He, however, aligned himself with the application for adjournment by Messrs Adehi and Njemanze, given Mr Fagbemi’s withdrawal from the suit.
He said this would also enable him to sort out their processes, which had earlier been served on Mr Fagbemi.
Mr Njemanze told the court that he was yet to be served with the processes filed by the PDP to enable them to respond to the same.
He said though there had been moves to resolve the dispute politically with the involvement of President Bola Tinubu, he would need to get the disposition of his client to the development.
“In the circumstance, we pray for an adjournment to enable me to file my processes,” he said.
The fourth defendant (clerk of the assembly)’s counsel, Ferdinand Orbih, SAN, notified the court that his client had not been served with any process.
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