…. as judge summons Speaker, 6 others to appear Nov 13
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA– The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, begging it to stop alleged plot to impeach him from office.
The plaintiff, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2219/2025, alleged that he was targeted for impeachment owing to his decision not to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
In an ex-parte motion he brought before the court, Senator Ewhrudjakpo applied for interim injunctions to preserve him in office, pending the determination of his substantive suit.
Cited as 1st to 7th defendants in the suit, are: Bayelsa State House of Assembly, the Speaker, the Inspector General of Police, Director of State Security Services, the Attorney General of Bayelsa state, the Chief Judge of Bayelsa state, as well as the Clerk of the Bayelsa state House of Assembly, respectively.
Meanwhile, Justice Emeka Nwite, who declined to grant the interim orders, directed the plaintiff to put the defendants on notice to enable them to appear before the court on November 13 to show cause why the prayers should not be granted, pending the determination of the case.
Specifically, the plaintiff, in the ex-parte application that was moved by his team of lawyers led by Mr. Reuben Egwuaba, sought five interim reliefs.
Among the prayers, included: “An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th defendants from removing or impeaching the plaintiff as the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State arid by disregarding the provision of Section 188(5), (6),(7) (a), (b), (8), (9)& (11) and Section 36(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (as amended), read together with Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), on the decision of the plaintiff not to defect/decamp from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress(APC) or any other registered political party before the expiration of his four(4)years tenure as an elected Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, pending hearing of the Motion on Notice.
“An order of an interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th defendants whether by themselves, servants, agents or privies, from initiating impeachment notice, impeachment proceedings/meetings of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, against the plaintiff on the decision of the plaintiff not to defect/decamp from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other registered political party before the expiration of his four(4) years tenure as an elected Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State pending the hearing of Motion on Notice.
“An order of an interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th & 6th defendants, either by themselves, servants, agents, privies, personal representatives, officers, officials or any other person howsoever named, from conducting any meeting, sitting, conference for the purpose of initiating or igniting impeachment proceedings against the plaintiff being the elected Executive Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, pending the hearing of motion on notice.
“An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th defendants, their agents, servants, affiliates or privies, from recognizing and dealing with the appointment of any member of the APC as the Deputy Governor of Bayela State, or any other person, pending hearing of Motion on Notice.”
As well as, “An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th defendants from the conduct of an illegal and unlawful impeachment of the plaintiff which will be contrary to the provision of Section 188(5), (6), (7) (a), (b), (8), (9) &(11) and Section 36(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.”
While refusing prayers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the ex-parte motion, Justice Nwite held that it would be in the interest of justice to summon the defendants to show cause why the preservative orders the plaintiff is seeking from the court, should not be granted.
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