Ebun Francis || An Abuja Federal High Court on Wednesday barred the National Assembly from taking further action or proceeding with the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
The restraining order was by Justice Ahmed Mohammed.
This ruling is a sequel to an oral application made in a suit filed by the Accord Party against the National Assembly, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the ruling, the court ordered the parties to “maintain status quo ante bellum” that stays every proceeding pending the determination of the motion on notice filed by the Accord party.
The Accord party had approached the court with a motion seeking an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the National Assembly from taking any further action or actions on the Bill titled Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018, particularly, to convene to pass the said Bill into Law, by two-thirds majority of its two chambers, pending the final determination of the substantive originating summon.
Chinelo Ogbozor, lawyer to the National Assembley had resisted attempts made by Counsel to the Accord Party, Wole Olanipekun to move his motion on notice seeking a restraining order against the National Assembly on the grounds that the application was not ripe, and pending the service of hearing notice on the AGF.
She insisted that they were served barely 48 hours and insisted that the matter cannot proceed.
In view of Ogbozor’s opposition, Olanipekun urged the court for Ogbozor to make an undertaking that the National Assembly would not take any action on the subject matter but she refused.
Though the court noted that the motion on notice was not ripe for hearing, it, however, took notice of the oral application made by Olanipekun brought in line with Section 58(5) of Constitution.
Justice Mohammed stated that the court is not granting the prayer contained on the motion paper but “is making the preservative order to safeguard the integrity and sanctity of court.”
Consequently, the court directed parties to maintain status quo ante bellum at least to the next adjournment.
Justice Mohammed adjourned the matter to March 20 for the hearing of the motion on notice filed by the plaintiff.