The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, Monday rejected an ex-parte application by Senator Gilbert Nnaji to restrain the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) from investigating the allegation that the Senate Standing Order 2015 was forged.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, in declining the request, however, ordered the IGP and the AGF to appear in court on August 4 to show cause why the court should not grant the request contained in the plaintiff ’s ex-parte motion.
The allegedly forged Senate Standing Rules was used for the conduct of the elections that produced Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate president and Senator Ike Ekweremadu as his deputy on June 9.
Nnaji, through his counsel, P. J Nwokolo, urged the court to, among others, restrain further investigation into the allegation that the Senate Standing Rules was forged.
The suit was filed before the release and sending of the police report to the AGF’s Office, reportedly on the order of President Muhammadu Buhari, for further action.
The IGP and the AGF are the two respondents to the suit.
Ruling on the ex-parte application, Justice Kolawole held that he could not grant the restraining order at the level of ex-parte hearing since it was the same issue the plaintiff canvassed in his substantive suit.
He further held that he needed to afford both the IGP and the AGF the opportunity to be heard before taking a decision on the ex-parte prayers.
The court also refused to grant the prayer for accelerated hearing on the grounds that it lacked the power to abridge the 30 days which the defendants were entitled to without their consent.
It, however, ordered the plaintiff to serve the court processes on the defendants.
The court later adjourned till August 4 for the respondents to come and show cause why the prayers sought by the plaintiff in his ex-parte application should not be granted.
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