Breaking: Big blow as Court stops Obaseki from enforcing COVID-19 vaccine dose order

The recent order by Governor Godwin Obaseki which mandated all residents in Edo state to take COVID-19 vaccine jab or risk being denied access to public places has been dealt a big blow.

This is after a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital granted an order restraining the governor and Edo state government from enforcing such directive on Tuesday.

While arguing the motions in the suit with reference number: FHC/PH/FHR/266/2021 filed by Charles Osaretin, against the Governor and five others dated August 30, 2021, the applicant’s lead counsel, Echezona Etiaba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), urged the court to order parties to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice, for the enforcement of the applicant’s fundamental human rights and for the leave of court to serve the respondents by publishing the court’s processes in a national daily newspaper circulating in Nigeria.

The orders, as prayed, were granted by the Vacation Judge at the FHC, Port Harcourt, Justice Stephen Dalyop Pam.

The court subsequently adjourned till September 10 for a hearing of the substantive motion.

Governor Obaseki had told Edo residents that anyone who failed to take at least COVID-19 vaccine dose will be denied access to churches, mosques, banks, event centres and other public places as from second week of September in 2021.