House of reps can’t reconvene yet, says court

Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the federal high court, Abuja, on Friday ruled that parties in the suit filed by Aminu Tambuwal, speaker of the federal house of representatives should maintain the status quo.

The parties are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the inspector-general of police, the attorney-general of the federation, the deputy speaker of the house of representatives and the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC),

On October 31, Tambuwal had gone to court to challenge the withdrawal his security details and to seek an interim injunction stopping the house from reconvening or removing him as speaker.

Earlier on Monday, Mohammed ruled that status quo be remained, thereby stopping the reconvening of the house before the adjourned date of December 3.

Tambuwal’s counsel, Lateef Fagbemi, who led 68 other lawyers to the hearing, urged that the court to rule on the withdrawal of security details from the speaker, arguing that it was an urgent matter as the case involved the fourth citizen of the country.

However, counsel of the PDP, Yunus Ustaz Usman, argued that the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the case, urging it to decline the suit.

“We have also filed response to the suit of the plaintiff that he should not be the speaker or in the house,” he said.

“The major issue today is whether your lordship has jurisdiction or not to entertain the matter. We have filed a notice of preliminary injunction challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.”

Also, AO Okeoyine, the defence counsel of the inspector-general of police and the attorney-general of the federation, espoused the argument that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case. However, he emphasised that it was a “serious” constitutional issue.

TM Inua, counsel of INEC, maintained neutrality on the matter.

Mohammed adjourned the case to November 17, 2014.

Meanwhile, the attorney-general of the federation and the inspector general of police have undertaken not to do anything to undermine or threaten the person and the office of the speaker.