Justice M.G. Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin, Ero State, on Wednesday restrained the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Inspector General of Police and others from interfering, disrupting or obstructing legislative activities in the Edo State House of Assembly.
The order followed an ex-parte motion filed by the plaintiffs/applicants, the Clerk Edo State House of Assembly, Alhaji Yahaya Omogbai and the Edo State Government, filed on June 28, 2019.
Delivering ruling in the motion, Justice 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 7th Assembly 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 destabilizing 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 case was thereafter adjourned till October 9, 2019.
