Stay of proceedings on Jubrin’s suspension case for May 10

Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed May 10 for the determination stay of proceedings in the suit instituted by the suspended Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumuni Jibrin, challenging the legality of his suspension.

After hearing arguments on the application by two Members of the House, Nicholas Ossai and Chairman House Committee on Ethics, Oker Jev, who are asking the court to put the hearing of the substantive matter on hold and to stay hearing in the matter pending the determination of their interlocutory appeal which is pending before the Court of Appeal.

The motion for stay of proceedings filed by their counsel, Akeem Kareem, both lawmakers informed the court that they had already filed a notice of appeal against the ruling of the court delivered on April 13 which disallowed them from joining the suit as interested parties.

They claimed that they were dissatisfied with the ruling of the court, which shut them out, hence their decision to go on appeal to resolve the issue of joinder.

At the resumed hearing of the matter, the two applicants submitted that their interest will be greatly jeopardized if the court should go ahead and hear the substantive matter without first waiting for the resolution of the appeal which they claimed was their fundamental right.

They insisted that it would be against the principles of fair hearing if their application for stay of proceedings was not first determined one way or the other by the court before proceeding with the substantive matter.

The position of the two lawmakers in seeking the stay of proceedings was supported by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and the house itself.