A Federal High Court in Benin City late Friday evening struck out the prayer by Edo State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Uyigue Igbe and 14 other lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for an order of interim injection to restrain nine People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers from further purporting to carry out legislative functions at the Assembly pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

According to the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Liman, the prayer of the APC lawmakers was outside the ambit of Section 25, sub-section (1) (q) (r) (s) of the Constitution. Justice Liman clarified that “It is a matter within the jurisdiction of the State High Court.”

On the applicants’ prayer for an order directing that time should not run during the period of 2014 annual vacation of the Federal High Court, which is scheduled to lapse between July 12 to September 15, 2014, the court ruled that it was not necessary by virtue of Order 46, Rule 5 which allows for hearing of other matters by a judge at the request of concerned parties.

“The interlocutory injunction shall be taken by the vacation judge on a date assigned by her or subject to the defendant filling a motion to set aside the interim order,” the court ruled.

The court particularly granted an interim injection restraining the first and second defendant, the Nigeria Police Force from preventing or continuing to prevent the plaintiffs including the workers of Edo State House of Assembly from having unrestricted access into the Assembly premises and their official offices pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Furthermore, it granted an order of interim injunction restraining the first and second defendants from preventing the workers engaged by the Edo State House of Assembly from continuing the renovation and repair work to the leaking roof of the Assembly complex pending the hearing and the determination of the motion on notice.