Justice Ahmed Mohammed of a Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday denied granting any order preventing the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives from probing the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, over an alleged reckless spending of N10billion on aircraft charter within a space of two years.
Apparently perturbed by media reports that he purportedly granted the minister’s exparte motion filed on 11th April seeking to stop her probe by the House of Representatives, Justice Mohammed said he only directed the respondents (National Assembly and House of Reps) to appear before the court on April 17, 2014 and show cause why the orders of interim injunction being sought by the applicants’ motion on notice filed on April 11 should not be granted.
According to Justice Mohammed: “I have seen a press release in the media, said to have been issued by the House of Representatives that this court has made an order restraining the House of Representatives from continuing with the probe.
“As far as I am concerned and as the judge presiding over this case, no such order was made”, he added.
The judge explained that the Court only ordered the defendants (National Assembly and the House of Representatives) to be put on notice after the plaintiff counsel moved an ex parte motion praying for an order of interim injunction to restrain the House of Representatives from summoning the minister.
“This court in a ruling directed the defendants to appear in this court on April 17 and show cause why the interim order should not be made.
“On April 17 plaintiff counsel informed the court that processes have not been served on the defendants owing to the Nyanya bomb blast and the court adjourned till today (Tuesday, April 29).
“As the press release was issued by the House of Representatives which is the 2nd defendant in this suit, and as the House of Representatives is not represented in court today, the only fair thing to do is to adjourn this matter and issue the House of Representatives with a hearing notice to appear before the court and clear the air on whether it has been served with a restraining order issued by this court”, he said.
The case has been adjourned till May 5.
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