A Federal High Court will on Wednesday, rule on an ex parte application seeking an order to restrain the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, and members of the Peoples Democratic Party’s South-South caucus in the Senate from appointing the Senate Minority Leader.
The plaintiffs – Alaye Pedro and Dr. Okechukwu Ibeh – want the restraining order to last until the determination of the suit they’ve filed with the court.
Pedro is a PDP member from Akuku-Toru local government in Rivers while Ibeh is a PDP member from Umukegwu/Umuodia LG in Imo.
Their suit is predicated on the provision of Order 3(2) of Senate Standing Orders 2015 (as amended) which prohibits the appointment of a first-time senator into the Senate’s principal offices.
The suit seems targeted at stopping the nomination or appointment of a former Akwa Ibom governor, Godswill Akpabio, a two-term governor but first-time senator who is from the South-South – the region to which the PDP had zoned the position.
The PDP, being the leading minority party in the Senate as well as the House of Representatives, is in the position to present the Minority Leader.
Arguing the plaintiffs’ ex parte application on Tuesday, their lawyer, Mr. B. J Akomolafe, referred the judge to a newspaper report which indicates that Akpabio had been tipped for the position of the Senate Minority Leader.
The newspaper report marked “Exhibit D” was part of exhibits filed along with the ex parte application and the main suit.
Saraki and Akpabio are the first and second named respondents to the suit.
The other respondents are the 16 PDP senators from the South-South who include: Nelson Effiong, Bassey Albert, Emmanuel Paulker, Ogola Foster, Ben Murray-Bruce, John Enoh, Gershom Bassey, Rose Oko, James Manager and Peter Nwaoboshi.
Others are Ighoyota Amori, Clifford Ordia, Matthew Urhoghide, George Sekibo, Olaka Nwogu, and Osinakchukwu Ideozu.
Pedro and Ibeh contended in the affidavits that the PDP South-South caucus “is bound to select or appoint the Minority Leader in strict compliance with Order 3(2) of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 (as amended) which emphasis ranking as basis for appointment of principal officers”.
Akomolafe, in his argument urged the court to restrain the respondents from taking steps on the appointment of the Senate Majority Leader pending the determination of the suit.
He also asked the court to grant an order of substituted service on the respondents through newspaper publications.
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