Court Refuses To Stop Appointment Of Senate Minority Leader

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday refused to grant an interim order stopping the appointment or selection of the Minority Leader of the Senate, a decision which may clear the way for a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio‎, to step into the position.

The plaintiffs – Alaye Pedro and Dr. Okechukwu Ibeh – had in their ex parte application for the interim order indicated that Akpabio had been tipped for the position in breach of the Senate Standing Order which prohibits appointment of a first term senator like the former governor into any principal office of the Senate.

But Justice Gabriel Kolawole, after hearing the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mr. B. J Akomolafe on Tuesday, dismissed majority of their prayers contained in the ex parte application, holding in his ruling on Wednesday that the plaintiffs not being members of the Senate, lacked the locus standi file the suit and be granted such application.

Court Dismisses FG’s Suit To Extradite Kashamu

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed an application for the extradition of Ogun-East Senator in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu, to the United States of America to face illicit drugs related offence trial.

The immediate past Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, had filed the application on May 28, 2015 upon a United State government’s request asking the Nigerian government to submit Kashamu for extradition.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole in his ruling held that he lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit ‎while the judgment of the division of the court in Lagos nullifying the proceedings on June 8, 2015 and the same judgment affirmed by another judge of the same Lagos division had not been set aside by an appellate court.