A federal high court in Abuja has
issued an interim order stopping Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo state,
from arresting and prosecuting Adams Oshiomhole, national chairman of
the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Oshiomhole is a former governor of Edo.
In
January, Obaseki had set up a panel to probe the construction of the
Edo specialist hospital and supply of equipment for the hospital.
In
May, the commission led by James Oyomire had indicted Oshiomhole for
breach of the state’s public procurement law while he was governor of
the state.
The commission recommended the arrest and prosecution of the national chairman.
Oshiomhole
in an ex parte application filed through his lawyer West Idahosa prayed
the court to stop his arrest and prosecution on account of the Edo
state panel report.
Alex Ejeiseme, counsel to the Edo state
government, filed a preliminary objection challenging the reliefs sought
by Oshiomhole in his ex parte application.
Ejeiseme also contended that the court lacks the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Apart
from the Edo state government, other respondents in the suit are Yinka
Omorogbe, Edo state attorney general and commissioner of Justice; James
Oyomire; the inspector general of police (IGP) and the Department of
State Services (DSS).
After hearing parties in the suit on
Monday, Ahmed Mohammed, the judge, ordered the respondents to stay
action in pending the determination of the issue of jurisdiction.
”An
interim order is hereby made restraining the prosecution of the
applicant pursuant to the report submitted to the 1st to 3rd respondents
or any white paper, pending the determination of the issue of
jurisdiction raised in the 1st to 4th respondents notice preliminary
objection,” the judge held.
The court also directed Oshiomhole’s counsel to serve all the respondents his processes within 48 hours.
The case has been adjourned to June 17, 2020.
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