A suit by a former Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, seeking to stop the State House of Assembly from probing him, has been dismissed by a High Court sitting in Ikeja, the Lagos capital.
The Witness recalls that State Assembly had in August 2019, set up a nine-man ad-hoc committee to probe Ambode’s administration over the purchase of 820 buses for public transportation in the state.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, February 27, Justice Yetunde Adesanya held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to stop the lawmakers from investigating the ex-governor, stressing that the investigation is not an indictment.
“The claimant (Ambode) has not been indicted. An invitation by an agency of government cannot in any way cause a breach of the threat of the fundamental rights of the claimant.
“I hereby find that the claimant’s action is an invitation to the court to cripple the legislative exercise of the statutory power of the Lagos State House of Assembly under Section 128 and 129 of the 1999 Constitution.
“That is not the function of the court, and no court of law should accede such invitation. The claimant’s suit is hereby struck out,” the Judge ruled.
Ambode loses in court
The former Lagos State Governor instituted the civil suit against the State House of Assembly, its Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, and the Clerk of the House, Mr A. Sanni.
The Witness understands that other respondents to the suit are Fatai Mojeed, the Chairman of an ad-hoc committee, as well as eight members of the committee. They are Mr Gbolahan Yishawu, Mr A. Yusuf, Mr Yinka Ogundimu, Mrs Mojisola Meranda, Mr M. Makinde, Mr Kehinde Joseph, Mr Temitope Adewale, and Mr Olanrewaju Afinni.