Court fixes Oct 21 to hear suit

Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High mCourt sitting in Abuja yesterday, fixed October 21, to entertain the suit filed by the embattled former Chairman, Appropriation Committee, House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin,challenging his suspension from the House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives had on Wednesday, suspended Abdulmumin Jibrin, a lawmaker from Kano at the centre of the unfolding budget padding scandal, for 180 legislative days.

In a motion recommended by House Ethics Committee chairman, Nicholas Ossai, and adopted by the whole House, Jibrin will also not be able to hold any position of responsibility for the span of the current National Assembly.

The embattled legislator had on August 9, approached the court seeking an order to restrain the lower legislative chamber from any attempt to suspend him.

The suit was filed before Justice Okon Abang during the court vacation period that lasted for about two months.

However, upon resumption, the matter was re-assigned to Justice Tsoho and was fixed for Friday for mention.

At the resumed proceedings yesterday, counsel to Jibrin, Mr. Mohammed Abdulhamid, informed the judge that the House of Representatives had, by going ahead to suspend his client ‘overreached’ his client’s motion filed before the court to seek an order restraining the House from carrying out the suspension.

Justice Tsoho said since the day’s business was for the mention of the case, he would prefer to adjourn to October 21 for the hearing of all pending motions.

Apart from Jibrin’s motion, also pending before the court is a notice of preliminary objection filed by the House of Representatives and other defendants challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.

You will recall that Jibrin’s suspension on Wednesday was a fallout of his campaign since July for the removal of the House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and other principal officers of the House over allegation that they padded the 2016 budget with about N40bn.

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