TheCable

A federal high court in Abuja has dismissed a suit kicking against the reconvening of the senate without the approval of Senate President Bukola Saraki.

At its sitting on Thursday, Nnamdi Dimgba, a judge, struck out the suit after the lawyers representing the plaintiff failed to show up in court.

Two senators loyal to Saraki – Rabiu Adebayo (Kwara south) and Isa Misau (Bauchi central) – had filed the suit amid claims that senators in the All Progressives Congress (APC) were mulling Saraki’s impeachment.

The alleged impeachment plot followed his defection from the ruling party to the Peoples Democratic party (PDP).

The two senators had sought an order from the court to stop the rumoured sitting from holding.

They had argued that being the chairman of the national assembly, any attempt to reconvene the senate without hit authorisation would be against the provisions of the law.

But not one of the plaintiffs’ defence team – led by Mahmoud Magaji – was present in court at the resumed hearing on Thursday.

T. D. Agbe, the defense counsel, then prayed the court to strike out the suit on the ground that the plaintiff and their counsel were aware of the scheduled hearing, a request the court granted.

Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, had earlier urged the court to strike out the suit on the ground that the plaintiffs lacked the locus standi to file it.