Appeal Court refuses to stay proceedings in Jibrin’s suit over suspension

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has refused to stay proceedings in the suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin, challenging the propriety of his suspension.

Jibrin has filed the legal action against the House and named the Speaker of the House, Hon Yakubu Dogara and others as co-defendants.

The House had suspended Jibrin for 180 legislative days (about one year) after he accused the leadership of the House of allegedly padding the 2016 budget.

But Hon Emmanuel Oker-Jev, chairman House committee on rules, and Hon Ossai Ossai, chairman house committee on the ethics, had on April 13, applied to join the suit in the federal high court but they were denied.

The lawmakers then proceeded to the appellate court to apply for a stay of proceedings in the case.

But at the appellate court on Thursday, the three-man panel of Justices of the Court of Appeal led by Abdul Aboki said that the court would not grant such kind of application.

Lawyer to Jibrin, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) told the court that the application lacked merit.

Falana further argues that those seeking to join the suit did not even seek permission of the court before bringing such an application before it.

The senior advocate therefore urged the court to grant an expeditious hearing of the matter on the grounds that the constituents of Jibrin in Kano State have been illegally denied representation for almost a year.

After listening to the lawyers to the parties, the panel dismissed the application and ordered that the substantive matter be heard at the federal high court in Abuja.

Jibrin’s application challenging his suspension will now be heard on June 12.