A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt Rivers State has adjourned a suit filled by Civil society Organizations in the state against the embattled 25 members of the state House of Assembly to April 26 for hearing.
The trial Judge, Justice Stephen Dalyopam adjourned the matter after listening to counsels in the matter, averred that the adjournment was to give all the parties in the suit the opportunity to file in their various processes so that no one would say that ample opportunity was not given to them.
Justice Dalyopam, however, directed all the counsels in the matter to ensure that they completed their processes of services and served each other before the new date
Speaking to Journalists outside the Courtroom, counsel representing the plaintiff in the matter, Chief Eugene Ode told Journalists that some parties have filled preliminary objections challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the substantive of the matter before it, adding that some of the counsels have not also filed any responses to the court.
Barr Ode averred that it was in the spirit of fair hearing and justice that the court adjourned the matter to give fair hearing and equal justice to all, saying that in the end, nobody would say that he was not heard.
He opined that the adjournment was not a temporary setback but to ensure that justice is served to all parties involved .” It is also in the interest of justice to allow them to bring their processes to the court. we have taken a new date today so that at the end, nobody we say that he was shot out of the matter”
Responding to questions on the chances of his client winning the case, Ode said our chances are bright and dependent on the Court and the arguments before it .” so we asking the court is that justice must be served in the manifold to anybody who violates the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria no matter how highly the person or group of persons are highly placed that is what we are asking and if the court agrees with us and good” he stated.
The plaintiff’s counsel also told Journalists the reasons why they withdrew the suit against the Attorney General of the Federation and the National Assembly, stressing that they were not necessary parties to the matter and did not want anything that would delay the process of trial.
Also speaking, the state chairman of the civil society Organizations, Comrade Enefa Georgewill said they are asking the Court to interpret section 119(G) of the constitution of the country with regards to the 25 embattled members of the state House of Assembly who defected from PDP to Apc whether they are still members of the house in line with the constitution, adding that their actions contravened the sections of 119 (g) of the constitution and should vacate their seats.
