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| Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo. |
The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has filed a case before the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking the court to stop an alleged move to impeach him from office.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2219/2025, the plaintiff claimed that he was being targeted for removal because he refused to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Through an ex-parte motion submitted to the court, Senator Ewhrudjakpo requested interim injunctions to ensure he remains in office until the main suit is determined.
Named as the 1st to 7th defendants in the case are the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, the Speaker, the Inspector General of Police, the Director of the State Security Services, the Attorney General of Bayelsa State, the Chief Judge of Bayelsa State, and the Clerk of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly.
However, Justice Emeka Nwite declined to grant the interim orders and instead instructed the plaintiff to notify the defendants so they could appear before the court on November 13 to explain why the requested reliefs should not be granted while the case continues.
In particular, the plaintiff, through his legal team led by Mr Reuben Egwuaba, sought five interim orders in the ex-parte application.
One of the requests reads: “An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th defendants from removing or impeaching the plaintiff as the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State arid by disregarding the provision of Section 188(5), (6),(7) (a), (b), (8), (9)& (11) and Section 36(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (as amended), read together with Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), on the decision of the plaintiff not to defect/decamp from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress(APC) or any other registered political party before the expiration of his four(4)years tenure as an elected Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, pending hearing of the Motion on Notice.”
Another states: “An order of an interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th defendants whether by themselves, servants, agents or privies, from initiating impeachment notice, impeachment proceedings/meetings of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, against the plaintiff on the decision of the plaintiff not to defect/decamp from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other registered political party before the expiration of his four(4) years tenure as an elected Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State pending the hearing of Motion on Notice.”
He further sought: “An order of an interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th & 6th defendants, either by themselves, servants, agents, privies, personal representatives, officers, officials or any other person howsoever named, from conducting any meeting, sitting, conference for the purpose of initiating or igniting impeachment proceedings against the plaintiff being the elected Executive Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, pending the hearing of motion on notice.”
He also prayed for: “An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th defendants, their agents, servants, affiliates or privies, from recognizing and dealing with the appointment of any member of the APC as the Deputy Governor of Bayela State, or any other person, pending hearing of Motion on Notice.”
Lastly, he requested: “An order of interim injunction restraining the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th & 6th defendants from the conduct of an illegal and unlawful impeachment of the plaintiff which will be contrary to the provision of Section 188(5), (6), (7) (a), (b), (8), (9) &(11) and Section 36(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.”
Justice Nwite, while rejecting prayers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the ex-parte motion, ruled that it was in the interest of justice for the defendants to be invited to appear before the court and show cause why the requested interim orders should not be granted.
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