Edo LG chairmen suspension: Judge returns file for reassignment after vacation

Justice Emeka Nwite of a Federal High Court in Abuja has returned the case file of a suit filed by 18 suspended Edo local government chairmen against Gov. Monday Okpebholo and others for reassignment.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suit was filed by the suspended chairmen to seek an order of status quo ante bellum to restrain Gov. Okpebholo from giving effect to the house of assembly’s resolution for their removal.

The matter, which was held on Jan. 6 when Justice Nwite was a vacation judge, NAN reliably gathered, had been remitted back to the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, for reassignment after the vacation ended.

Court activities resumed officially on Jan. 7 after the Christmas holiday which began on Dec. 16, 2024.

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It was also gathered that the case may either be reassigned back to Justice Nwite or another judge.

NAN reports that the judge had, on Jan. 6, ordered all the parties in the suit to maintain a status quo.

Justice Nwite, in a ruling, gave the order after counsel to the plaintiffs moved a motion ex-parte to the effect.

The judge, who said extreme carefulness needed to be exercise in granting the reliefs, said he would only make order for parties to maintain a status quo pending the hearing and the determination of the substantive suit.

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The matter was subsequently adjourned until Jan. 20 for hearing of the substantive suit.
The aggrieved 18 LG chairmen and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had filed the motion ex-parte marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1952/V/2024.

In the motion dated Dec. 20, 2024, but filed Dec. 24, 2024, the chairmen and the PDP sued Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly; Edo State House of Assembly; Executive Governor of Edo State; Government of Edo State as 1st to 4th defendants.

Also joined in the suit include the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State; Attorney-General of the Federation and Inspector-General of Police as 5th to 7th defendants respectively.

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They sought an order of interim injunction compelling or directing the 1st to 5th defendants, their servants, agents, privies, any person, institution or successors howsoever called, acting or purporting to act on their behalf to maintain status quo ante bellum, as at 15th December, 2024, pending the determination of the substantive suit, filed contemporaneously with this application.

They sought an order of interim injunction restraining the 3rd to 5th defendants from further acting on the resolution of the assembly, suspending the plaintiffs and their deputies pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit filed contemporaneously with this application.