A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has restrained the National Assembly, the Police and the Directorate of State Services (DSS) from interfering, sealing up or taking over the legislative function of the Edo State House of Assembly.
The court, presided over by Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed, also restrained the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, from issuing a fresh proclamation letter, as directed by the Senate.
It also granted an order restraining the Inspector General of Police and the DSS, their servants, agents, officers or privies from sealing up the Edo State House of Assembly or obstructing activities at the Edo Assembly.
The orders followed requests sought by the Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Yekini Idiaye; and the member representing Ikpoba-Okha Constituency in the Edo Assembly, Hon. Henry Okhuarobo, who are the plaintiffs/applicants.
The plaintiffs had prayed the court in Suit Number FHC/PH/CS/159/2019, to restrain the Clerk of the National Assembly; the President of the Senate; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; Inspector General of Police and the DSS (all defendants) from taking over the duties of the Edo House of Assembly.
In the order paper, dated August 2, the court said: “The plaintiffs are granted an order of interim injunction, restraining the 1st-3rd Defendant/Respondents (Clerk of the National Assembly, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives), their servant, agents, officers or privies from interfering or taking over the legislative functions of the Edo State House of Assembly pending the determination of the substantive suit.”
The court also granted an order of interim injunction restraining the 4th-5th defendant (Inspector General of Police and the State Security Service), their servant, agents, officers or privies from sealing up the Edo State House of Assembly or obstructing the plaintiffs in whatever manners in the performance of their constitutional duties as members of the Edo State House of Assembly, pending the determination of the substantive Suit.
The duo were also granted an order of interim injunction restraining the 6th defendant (the Governor of Edo State) from issuing any fresh proclamation for the holding of another first session for the Edo State House of Assembly pending the hearing and the determination of the substantive suit” the court said.
It would be recalled that a Benin High Court, last month, gave a restraining order to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in Edo state and Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, the APC Publicity Secretary, from interfering, disrupting or obstructing the constitutional duties of members of the Edo House of Assembly.
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