The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, refused to extend its July 10 interim order stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) from prosecuting the suspended Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari pending the hearing and determination of a motion filed by Senator Aishatu Dahiru, also known as Binani.
INEC is seeking the prosecution of the suspended REC for declaring the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Aisha Binani winner of the Adamawa state governorship election on April 15, 2023.
The court had ordered parties in the motion filed by Binani, which had INEC, IGP and the AGF as defendants to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The Court also asked the defendants to appear before it on July 18 to show cause while they should not be permanently restrained from prosecuting the suspended Adamawa State REC.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, INEC’s counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) told the court that the applicant had not served the defendants with the July 10 order of the court.
Jacobs, who also told the court that, the defendants have not been served with the originating summons filed by Binani had, in a counter affidavit to the motion challenged the competence and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.
