Court Restrains APC, Police from Disrupting Edo Assembly

The Federal High Court sitting in Benin City has restrained the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of Police in Edo State Command, from interfering or disrupting members of the Edo State House of Assembly from performing their constitutional duties.

The order of Justice M. G. Umar, while ruling in an ex-parte motion filed on July 3 by the applicants, the Clerk of Edo State House of Assembly, Alhaji Yahaya Omogbai, and the Edo State Government, also affected APC spokesman, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, all defendants, their servants and agents.

In the court documents, which THISDAY obtained yesterday, Justice Umar granted an interim order “restraining the defendants by themselves, their servants, agents, officers or privies from interfering with, obstructing or harassing, in any manner whatsoever, the plaintiffs in the performance of their constitutional duties as the legislative arm of the Edo State Government pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”

He also restrained the APC, which is the first defendant in the suit, either by itself or through its servants, agents, officers or privies “from further publishing in any newspaper or other media, any inciting publications concerning the inauguration of the Seventh House of Assembly of Edo State, and the election of the speaker and deputy speaker, which took place on June 17, 2019 in the Edo State House of Assembly.”

The court further granted an interim order restraining the defendants from disparaging the integrity of the House of Assembly or taking any steps that could breach the peace, order and good governance in the state pending the determination of the motion on notice.

Justice Umar adjourned the case till October 9 for further hearing.