Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria has declined to vacate a restraining order issued against Nigeria stopping the bid to deduct $418M Paris Club refund from bank accounts of the 36 states of the federation.
The Judge held that the order shall subsist until the motion for interlocutory injunction filed by the states against the Nigerian government is determined.
At today’s proceeding, Justice Ekwo permitted the plaintiffs, (36 states) to regularize their processes that were filled out of time.
Meanwhile, some of the defendants made desperate efforts to argue their motions praying the court to discharge the restraining order granted in favour of the states against the deduction of the money by the federal government.
Counsel to two of the defendants Wole Olanipekun and Olusola Oke, made efforts through oral applications for the court to discharge the order.
They argued that by the practice direction of the court, the restraining order ought to last for 14 days and that it should be deemed as expired and no longer in existence.
However, counsel to the states Jibrin Okutepa read out the order in the open court and submitted that until the motion for interlocutory injunction is settled, the interim order shall be in force and binding on all parties.
Justice Ekwo however counseled parties in the matter to thread softly adding that the matter will be diligently determined.
The sum is planned to be deducted by federal government to pay contractors who worked for the state governments in the Paris club refund.
The Judge has fixed December 13 for continuation of hearing in the legal battle instituted by 36 states against the Nigerian Government to challenge the bid to deduct the sum of $418 million dollars from their bank accounts.
Emmanuel Ukoh
