Nasarawa Assembly: Federal High Court Abuja denies restraining Nasarawa Speaker, Deputy Speaker from performing duties.
Idris Ahmed, Abuja.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, presided over by Justice Obiora has denied the rumour making the round, peddled by some electronic and social media, that it has restrained the Speaker Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi and his Deputy Hon. Jacob Kudu from performing their duties as the Presiding Officers of the 7th Nasarawa State House of Assembly.
The Presiding Judge said he has not granted any restraining order to anybody or group as regards the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, but stated that the pending case has been adjourned to October 12th 2023, pending determination.
Justice Obiora, while refuting the claim credited to him during today’s sitting in Abuja, advised all the parties to the the dispute to adhere strictly to the court order of the adjourned date of October 12, 2023.
The Court said it has never granted such order of restraining the Rt. Honourable Speaker Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi and his Deputy, Hon. Jacob Kudu.
The Counsels to the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Clerk and Deputy Clerk and other members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Matthew Bukar SAN informed the Court of the trending falsehood, fake news and misinformation.
Barr. I M Diko, one of the defence counsels, said “Journalists are known for investigation through facts and accuracy but with the advent of social media some of them do copy and paste which is un professional because anybody can use social media at his comfort zone and write anything he wishes”
“I was shocked when I noticed a reputable media outfit like Arise TV went on air with the report without verification.
” The issue is clear just as the SAN told the Presiding Judge, the State is peaceful and legislative activities are on smoothly under the Speaker Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi
“The matter is simple, the Governor has directed the Clerk through proclamation to inaugurate the House and election was conducted by the Clerk with all machinery, the Clerk, the Mace and the Sergeant-at-arm including the date, the Governor’s letter was read.
“In every situation we have doctrine of necessity, this is democratic set up and you can not live a state to stay without legislators, the assembly most exist, so the number of members at the house at the moment can not denied the State from existing without legislators, the vacuum will be filled gradually as time progresses and the court is fully aware of that, those sworn in by the Clerk as demanded by the law are the lawmakers for now”
Recalled that High Court 1, Lafia has already stopped Ogazi from parading himself as Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly and that still stands.
