THE Federal High Court, Abuja, has again reserved judgment in a legal action challenging the legality of the Senate Standing Rule used in the election which saw Bukola Saraki emerged as Senate President and Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court Abuja said that the verdict will be handed down within the time limit stipulated by law.

His reaction had followed an objection by five senators that instituted the case to a petition written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, asking for transfer of the case from Justice Ademola even when judgment has been reserved.

In their objection to Ekweremadu’s petition, the five senators namely: Abu Ibrahim, Kabir Garba Marafa, Robert Ajayi Boroffice, Bareehu Olugbenga Ashafa and Suleiman Othman Hunkuyu, dismissed the allegation of bias made against Justice Ademola for “being unwarranted and a calculated attempt to blackmail the judge.”

Mamman Mike Osuman, who filed the petition yesterday, told Justice Ademola not to be deterred by the content of Ekweremadu’s petition on the ground that there was no basis for the petition in the first place.

The senators claimed that the petition of Ekweremadu was unreasonable and in bad taste and faith because Ekweremadu “has never for once appeared in court personally to witness proceedings in the matter and therefore cannot make a case of bias.”

The plaintiffs also told the judge that the Deputy Senate President is being represented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Patrick Ikweto, who has never and will never associate himself with such an allegation of bias that cannot be substantiated in the court or anywhere.

Ekweremadu had, last week, petitioned Justice Ademola before the Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta and copied the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), asking that the case be taken from the Judge, Ademola, for fear of being biased against the defendants on the strength of the “sudden appointment” of the wife of the judge as the Head of Service in Lagos State.

Ekweremadu claimed in the petition that “Lagos forces” being aggrieved on the election of National Assembly principal officers, gave the Head of Service job to Mrs. Ademola by Lagos State Government so as to do the bidding of those opposing the emergence of principal officers of the parliament.

After listening to lawyers present in court, Justice Ademola, yesterday said that he will deliver judgment in the matter except the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court gives a contrary directive.

When final addresses were adopted on December 15, 2015, Saraki had told the court that he did not violate any law or breach any rule in the election that produced him as Senate President in June, contrary to the claims against him by some senators.

Saraki had told the court that he was returned un-opposed in the election by majority of the senators present on the election day in the upper chamber following his due nomination and endorsement for the office.

Saraki, who argued in the court through his counsel Kayode Eleja, SAN, asked Justice Adeniyi Ademola to dismiss the court action against him and five others for being abuse of court process, frivolous and unwarranted.

He said that the five senators who instituted the court action did not disclose what they lost by his election because none of them aspired or contested the senate presidency with him or any other officers and as such have no locus standi to come to court.