A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, set aside all actions and activities of the factional former Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmakers from November 21, 2014 till date, including the purported commencement of impeachment proceedings and notice alleging misconduct against the State Governor, Ayodele Fayose and his Deputy, Dr Olusola Eleka.
Justice E. Chukwu gave the ruling on an Exparte Application in Suit Number FHC/ABJ/CS/361/15 filed by the factional Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Dele Olugbemi and six other Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers.
The judge also granted plaintiffs in the suit leave to serve the originating summons on the defendants through newspaper advertisements.
Olugbemi and six others had filed the suit, seeking an order of the court declaring the seats of 19 lawmakers vacant having abdicated their functions since November 21, 2014 and also an order restraining the police from aiding, abetting or assisting the lawmakers from carrying out any illegal act.
Apart from Omirin and the APC legislators, also joined as defendants in the suit are the Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Hearing of the motion on notice has been adjourned till May 13.
Meantime, the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers has expressed its opposition to any move by the lawmakers to impeach Fayose, saying the people of the state must be allowed to enjoy the mandate freely given to the governor.
The monarchs, however, commended the maturity of the state Chief Judge, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, for maintaining neutrality in the crisis.
The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in the state has noted that the crisis generated over the impeachment saga was blown out of proportion by the opposition.
In a statement by its Chairman and the Onitaji of Itaji, Oba Adamo Babalola, in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, said any move to impeach Fayose at this point in time would create a negative image on the state and its people.
The traditional rulers, however, called on the governor to be magnanimous by paying the outstanding salaries and entitlements of the lawmakers.
In another development, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, has expressed concern that the crisis created by the impeachment plot against Mr Fayose was blown beyond proportion by members of the opposition.
Wabba, who was represented by Com. Babatunde Liadi, observed that the erroneous impression created in the minds of the outsiders on the impeachment saga was that the state was in a serious crisis and that the much needed peace has eluded the state.
”When I was to come to Ekiti to preside over this election, I was skeptical because I thought the state was under serious crisis.
“But when I got here, I saw that everywhere was peaceful, so I began to think about the impression political actors had created about Ekiti to the outside world. But I want to commend Governor Fayose for handling the matter maturely.
“I want to believe that the maturity must have created the peace being enjoyed by citizens of the state.”
While welcoming the labour leaders to the state, Fayose described the workers as harbingers of peace and pillars of his government.
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