Federal high court sitting in Abuja Wednesday ordered the status quo ante bellum in the crisis rocking Ebonyi state House of Assembly.
The state assembly had on February 21, 2022 declared the seats of the deputy speaker, Hon. Odefa Obasi, representing Onicha West constituency vacant, and elected the member representing Afikpo North West, Hon. Ikoro Kingsley as the new deputy speaker.
It subsequently declared the seat of Hon. Oliver Osi and his Afikpo North East constituency counterpart, Mrs. Ngozi Eziulo vacant.
But a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Wednesday, ordered the assembly to maintain status quo ante bellum until the determination of the motion on notice brought before it by the three embattled lawmakers.
In the suit No. FHC/Abj/CS/223/2022 brought before it between the three lawmakers and INEC, Attorney General of the Federation, IGP, DSS, Speaker of Ebonyi state House of Assembly, Clerk of the House, Hon. Ikoro Kingsley and the Ebonyi state House of Assembly, Odefa, Osi and Eziulo had prayed the court to restrain the defendants from taking any other or further steps against them until the final determination of the motion on notice which was granted by the presiding judge, Justice I.E. Ekwo.
The judge ordered that service on the interim order be effected on the defendants within three days of the order and adjourned the matter to 16th of March, 2022.
