The move by the Nigeria House of Representatives engineered by the
Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila to use the Police and DSS to arrest the
opposition coalition CUPP Spokesperson Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere has
suffered a major blow, according to a statement signed by Ugochukwu
Apuamaga.
Apuamaga said, “In less than 24hours of passing a resolution directing
the Inspector General of Police and the Director-General of the DSS to
arrest the opposition Spokesperson, the FCT High Court in a ruling just
delivered barred the Police IG and DSS from arresting, inviting or
detaining in any manner the opposition Spokesperson.
“Delivering the landmark ruling in the suit number
FCT/HC/BW/CV/120/2020, the court ordered the security agencies not to
give any effect to the resolution of the House of Reps for being in
disobedience of the orders of Taiwo O. Taiwo J of the Federal High Court
in suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/475/2020. The House had passed a resolution
following its adoption of the report of its adhoc Committee to direct
the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the DSS to
arrest, detain, investigate and prosecute the spokesperson of the
opposition coalition.
“Reacting to the ruling, the opposition coalition (CUPP) Spokesperson
Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere while commending the eminent jurist for being
bold to give the order in clear terms despite the identity of the
Respondents in the Motion declared the ruling as yet another milestone
victory for democracy and rule of law, right to free speech and a deadly
blow to tyranny. He continued that it was very unfortunate that the
House of Representatives which had always been the bastion of democracy
had been reduced to a shadow of itself under the leadership of Speaker
Femi Gbajabiamila who had dragged the image of the House into the mud in
his attempt to use the shield of the House to cover his dirty past.
“The Court further admonished parties to the Suit not to take any
further steps in defiance of the court order as any such order shall be
void. The Court adjourned the matter to 17th June, 2020 for definite
hearing.”