Signs that the legal tussle between former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and the State House of Assembly would be a long drawn battle surfaced Wednesday as major actors in the legal battle stayed away from court.
Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the State High Court in Ikeja had, on Tuesday, ordered the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, and others to appear before her on Wednesday.
He order followed a motion exparte moved by Ambode’s lawyer, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo.
But when the case got under way on Wednesday, the men were conspicuously absent in court. But they were represented by their counsel, Mrs. Adenike Oshinowo.
The former governor had instituted a civil suit against the State House of Assembly, Speaker Obasa, and House Clerk, A.A Sanni, over the probe into the purchase of 820 buses as part of the Bus Reform Project of the Ambode Administration for the state.
Other respondents to the suit include: Fatai Mojeed, chairman of the probe panel, and eight other members of the panel, namely-Gbolahan Yishawu, A.A Yusuf, Yinka Ogundimu, Mojisola Meranda, M.L Makinde, Kehinde Joseph, Temitope Adewale and Olanrewaju Afinni.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, Oyetibo, Ambode’s lawyer, informed the court that all the respondents had been served with the court processes the previous day, Tuesday.
“Your lordship directed that we serve the respondents with the Application of Notice which has been done,” he said.
“We are ready for the Application of Notice filed on October 28 and all the originating processes have been served.”
Responding, counsel to the absentee panel members, Mrs. Adenike Oshinowo told the court that the lawmakers got the notice late and they would oppose the motion.
“We were served the Motion on Notice very late yesterday, My Lord, and we shall be opposing the Motion,” Oshinowo said.
“We shall be asking the court for a date to regularise our processes.”
Sequel to the submissions of the counsels, submission, Justice Adesanya adjourned the case November 20, and ordered parties in the case to maintain the status quo.
Former Governor Ambode had gone to court is asking the court to uphold that the actions of the Lagos State House of Assembly regarding the purchase of the buses under his administration and other projects constituted an infringement of his rights.
He prayed the court to declare that the power of the state Assembly to pass a resolution, under Section 128(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), to direct an investigation into his conduct whilst being governor was subject to his right to a fair hearing as guaranteed by Section 36(1) of the Constitution.
Ambode also sought an order of the court to stop the House of Assembly from re-presenting to the public what he called falsehoods concerning the purchase of the buses.
