Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, struck out the suit that seek to remove the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu from office on the ground that the Senate Standing Orders 2015, that produced them, was forged.
Further hearing on the matter was terminated by the presiding Justice after the five plaintiffs namely Senators Abu Ibrahim, Kabir Marafa, Ajayi Boroffice, Suleiman Hunkuni and Olugbenga Ashafa applied to withdraw the suit.
The plaintiffs through their lawyer Chief Mamman Osuman (SAN) at the resumed sittings on the case yesterday said their decision to withdraw their suit on the matter was as a result of the fact that the essence of the suit had been overtaken by events.
They noted that the Senate leadership under Saraki and Ekweremadu, despite the pendency of the suit, had carried out several legislative actions, among which they said included the constitution of different committees for the 8th Senate.
Justice Adeniyi in a short ruling following their application struck out the suit. It was however noted that none of the defendants sent a legal representation before the court yesterday.The plaintiffs had prayed the court to stop both Saraki and Ekweremadu from further exercising the powers of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, respectively.
In their suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/651/2015, the plaintiffs, all members of All Progressives Congress, APC, also urged the court to stop the two defendants from relying on the provisions of the alleged forged Senate Standing Orders 2015, to conduct the affairs of the Senate.
The Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate itself and the National Assembly were equally joined as defendants in the suit.
The plaintiffs were all members of the ‘Unity Forum’ in the Senate that supported Ahmed Lawan to emerge as the Senate President in the election that was won by Saraki on June 9.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, who earlier presided over the matter as a vacation judge, had in a ruling he delivered on July 28, declined to issue an interim order of injunction against Saraki and Ekweremadu.
(via National Accord)
