Court refuses to bar Gbajabiamila from contesting speakership position
By Andrew Orolua, Abuja
A Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi on Thursday refused to bar House of Representatives Leader, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila from contesting the position of speaker of the 9th House of Representatives which will be inaugurated on June 11.
The suit seeking to bar the front-runner for the House speaker post was filed by Ikenga-Imo Ugochinyere and the Action People’s Party (APP) on May 30.
Apart from Gbajabiamila, other respondents in the suit are the clerk of the National Assembly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the inspector general of police.
Justice Charles Agbaza refused to grant the order in an ex-parte motion seeking an interim injunction to restrain Gbajabiamila from contesting for the speaker of the 9th National Assembly and other principal offices of the assembly.
The judge also refused to grant the fifth order praying the court for an interim injunction restraining the National Assembly from recognising the candidacy of Gbajabiamila for the speakership position or swearing him in as speaker in the event he wins the election.
Justice Agbaza however, ruled that the defendants should be served the court processes by way of substituted means instead of restraining Gbajabiamila which was part of the orders sought before the court.
Also, the judge granted an order of accelerated hearing and adjourned the suit until June 14 for hearing.
Meanwhile, the claimants, Ugochinyere and his party are alleging in the suit that Gbajabiamila, the member representing Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos state had been convicted and sentence to prison.
The claimants further alleged that Gbajabiamila had been convicted for the offence of involving in dishonesty and fraud by the Supreme Court of State of Georgia, United States of America.
Ugochinyere claimed in the suit that Gbajabiamila gave false information in Form CF001 he submitted to INEC in 2011 and 2018 that he has no criminal allegation or sentence.
The claimant added in the suit that while the defendant was living in the United States, he was subjected to an investigation by the investigative panel of the State Disciplinary Board for violation of Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.
Ugochinyere alleged that the offence against Gbajabiamila arose out of the defendant’s involvement in the case he has between Ms. Hadyatou Barry and her sister Yaye, who were involved in an accident in 2001 and engaged the service of the defendant.
The claimant alleged in the suit that the Gbajabiamila later settled the case for the two sisters, received a cheque of
