A Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to stop the police
from its ongoing investigation of the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike
Ekweremadu, and some others in relation to the alleged forgery of the 2015
Standing Rules of the Senate.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, in a ruling yesterday, refused an
ex-parte application filed by Senator Gilbert Emeka Nnaji, seeking to among others, restrain the police from
proceeding with the investigation and making public the report of the inquiry.
Nnaji had applied for
interim orders to restrain the defendants in the case - the Inspector
General of Police (IG) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) pending the determination of his substantive
suit.
The plaintiff is challenging the constitutionality of the investigation
within the context of the doctrine of separation of power.
Justice Kolawole said he could not grant the prayer sought by
the plaintiff at ex-parte stage when his court possesses the power to conduct a
judicial review of the action complained about in the substantive suit.
He also refused the plaintiff’s request to abridge the time
within which the defendants could respond.
The judge held that while the court’s rules allow defendants
30 days within which to respond, a reduction in the period must be with the
consent of parties in the suit.
He ordered the defendants to appear on the next day and show
cause why he should not grant the prayers sought by the plaintiff in his
ex-parte application.
Justice Kolawole adjourned to August 4 for the defendants to
show cause.
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