A Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Theresa Igoche, Tuesday granted the interlocutory injunction restraining the former Speaker, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange,former Deputy Speaker, Hon James Okefe, and former Majority Leader, Benjamin Adanyi from parading themselves as principal officers of the Benue State House of Assembly pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Ruling on the application filed by the Speaker, Mr Titus Uba and 21 other members of the Benue State House of Assembly against the former Speaker and seven others, Justice Igoche also restrained the Director of Department of State Services, DSS, from again sealing up the Benue State House of Assembly Complex as well as preventing the Plaintiffs from performing their legitimate duties.
She, however, ordered that, for now, the Speaker, Titus Uba should not use the Benue State House of Assembly Complex for legislative business, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The trial judge thereafter adjourned the suit to October 4th, 2018 and stated that, the case shall be given accelerated hearing and all subsequent interlocutory applications shall be heard at the hearing of the the substantive suit. She also disclosed that, all objections will be be ruled upon in the final judgement.
In the Suit filed by Governor Samuel Ortom and twenty four others against the former Speaker, Terkimbi Ikyange and 18 others, counsel to the Nigerian Army, Mr Martins Shaagee filed an application for the extension of time to enable him file his defense.
Similarly, the case was adjourned to the October 4th,2018 as well as the Case instituted by the former Speaker, Terkimbi Ikyange against the Speaker, Titus Uba and 21 others.
Reacting to the ruling, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Micheal Gusa described the ruling as sound, pointing out that, with the ruling,members of the State House of Assembly under the leadership of Titus Uba can sit and conduct legislative business for the state.
The lead Counsel to the Speaker, Mr Sebastine Hon said by the ruling, the Court has given validity to the sittings of the Benue State House of Assembly under the leadership of Titus Uba at the Benue Peoples House, while the former Speaker and his co-travellers have been restrained from parading themselves as principal officers of the House and the Security agencies restrained from preventing members of the Benue State House of Assembly from doing the business of legislation.
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