Indications are rife that the five sacked legislators of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly may not obey the Uyo High Court order, barring the embattled “speaker” Nse Ntuen from parading himself as such.
A High Court sitting in Uyo on Wednesday, November 28, granted an order of interim injunction restraining Ntuen from parading himself as the Speaker of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly pending the determination of motion on notice filed by Ekemini Udim Esq, Counsel to the Speaker of the House, Barr. Onofiok Luke.
The ruling by Justice Ekaete Obot ordered that the injunction be served on Nse Ntuen in person and also be pasted on every conspicuous part of the Assembly complex to forestall breakdown of law by the sacked lawmakers.
However, one of the affected members, Mr. Idongesit Ituen, has maintained that they would still hold their plenary come December 4, saying “Luke does not respect court order. Why must we obey his court order?”
Ituen, representing Itu State Constituency, was booted out of office by Luke in compliance with the court order because he defected from Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to All Progressives Congress, APC.
Although two days after, Ituen reportedly obtained a stay-of-execution order and appealed against the ruling of the Federal High Court, Uyo, Luke still went ahead to declare his seat vacant on the premise that the court made a declarative judgment.
Speaking on Planet FM 101.1, Uyo, Ituen said “I got a stay-of-execution order two days before my seat was declared vacant and served on the speaker. Again, I appealed against the ruling of the Federal High Court that the status quo ante be maintained. Yet, Luke has not respected the order.
“Again, four of my colleagues got an order restraining the then Speaker, Onofiok Luke from declaring their seats vacant.
“They have cases in the court and their matters have been resolved, yet the former speaker disobeyed the court and acted on his own. How can we obey his court order?
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“As at now, we are still legitimate members of the state House of Assembly because we have subsisting cases in the courts waiting for determination. On Tuesday, December 4, we will hold our plenary in the State House of Assembly,” he stated.
Meanwhile, a plenary was held on Thursday, November 29, by the Speaker and 20 other members in honour of late Dr. Clement Bassey, a member of the House.
During the plenary, the legislators paid tributes to the late Dr. Clement Adolf Bassey who represented Ikono State Constituency during the fourth House Assembly.
Source: Straightnews
