Five members of the the pro-Ahmed Lawan group in the Senate have asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop any move to constitute any standing or ad hoc committees of the Senate on the strength of the allegedly forged rules of the upper legislative chamber.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole has reserved ruling on the ex parte application till 2pm today (Tuesday).
The plaintiffs in the suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/651/2015, are Senators Abu Ibrahim, Kabir Marafa, Ajayi Boroffice, Olugbenga Ashafa and Suleiman Hunkuni.
They are all members of the All Progressives Congress-backed Unity Forum which supported Lawan for the position of the Senate President but lost to Bukola Saraki on June 9, 2015 during the first session of the 8th Senate.
Joined as six defendants to the suit are Saraki, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; the Clerks of the National Assembly, Senate and the National Assembly.
The five senators, through their ex parte application moved by their lead counsel, Chief Mamman (SAN), on Tuesday urged Justice Kolawole to restrain the defendants in the suit from constituting the various committees pending the hearing and determination of a separate motion on notice for an interim injunction.
The singular prayer in the ex parte application reads, “An interim order of injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd and 5th defendants/respondents (Saraki, Ekweremadu and the Senate) from constituting the Chairman and Deputy Chairmen of committees, or sub-committee whether Standing and ad hoc committees on the basis of the provisions of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 (as amended) or any other order and any other set of rules pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.” Punch
