The Federal High Court sitting in Benin City on Wednesday July 3, ordered the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, all defendants, their servants and agents, not to interfere, disrupt or obstruct the constitutional duties of members of the Edo House of Assembly.
In the court documents obtained on Wednesday, the presiding judge, M. G. Umar ordered: “that an interim order of injunction is hereby granted restraining the defendants by themselves, their servants, agents, officers or privies from interfering with, obstructing or harassing, in any manner whatsoever, the plaintiffs in the performance of their constitutional duties as the Legislative Arm of the Edo State Government pending the hearing and determination of the motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.”
The court also ordered “That an interim order of injunction is further granted restraining the 1st defendant, his servants, agents, officers or privies from further publishing in any newspaper or other media, any inciting publications concerning the inauguration of the 7thAssembly of the Edo State House Assembly and the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker which took place on 17/6/2019 in the Edo State House of Assembly.”
The court further declared: “That interim order of injunction is also granted restraining the defendants by themselves, their servants, agents, officers or privies from further committing any act aimed at disparaging the integrity of the legislative arm of the Edo State Government and/or destabilising the peace, order and good governance of Edo State in general, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.”
The orders followed prayers in an ex-parte motion of the plaintiffs/applicants Alhaji Yahaya Omogbai, the Clerk Edo State House of Assembly and the Edo State Government, filed on 28th June 2019.
The case was adjourned to 9th October 2019.
With these orders, the legal coast is clear for the inaugurated Edo State House of Assembly to continue its law-making function.
