Court Declines Request For Orders Of Interim Injunction On IGP, Others

The Federal High Court has declined the request for orders of interim injunction by Senators Rafiu Adebayo and Isa Misau to prevent the forceful impeachment of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

The Senators had dragged the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Inspector General of Police and the State Security Services to court on August 13, in a bid to restrain them from aiding the impeachment of the Senate President.

Counsel to the plaintiffs Emeka Etiaba (SAN) and Mahmoud Magaji (SAN) filed an ex-parte motion on behalf of the senators restraining the defendants from taking any untoward action to impeach Saraki.

But on Tuesday, Justice Dimgba declined the request and asked the parties to respect the authority of the court and integrity of the judicial process by not taking steps that would render the matter nugatory.

He, however, went on to grant the plaintiffs’ request for substituted service of court processes, the originating summons and motion for injunction on the 1st to the 8th defendants through a clerk of the National Assembly and the 10th to 12th defendants by courier service.

Thereafter, the court adjourned the case till September 6 for an accelerated hearing and urged counsels to take necessary steps to serve all the parties with the processes.

The court also adjourned, till September 13, hearing on a second suit filed by Senator Rafiu Adebayo against the Senate and 11 others seeking an order restraining the defendants from forcefully reopening the Senate chamber, and directed the parties to file their processes.