TheCable

A federal high court in Abuja has barred the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) from arresting Ikenga Ugochinyere, spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP). 

Ugochinyere had accused the house of representatives of bribery over the infectious disease bill, and in a resolution, the lawmakers directed that he be arrested. 

In a suit with number FHC/ABJ/CS/475/2020, the court had earlier granted Ugochinyere’s prayer that the house of representatives be barred from proceeding with its plan to hold a hearing on the allegation.  

Othman Musa, a judge who delivered the ruling in the suit number FCT/HC/BW/CV/120/2020 on Thursday, ordered the security agencies not to give any effect to the resolution of the house of representatives for being in disobedience of the previous orders granted by the court.  

The court also advised parties to the suit not to take any further steps in defiance of the court order as any such order shall be void. 

The matter was adjourned to June 17. .

Reacting to the ruling, Ugochinyere said it is a victory for democracy and rule of law.

He said it is unfortunate that the house of representatives which had always been the bastion of democracy “had been reduced to a shadow of itself”.