A Federal High Court, Abuja, has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offenses Commission, ICPC, from detaining Senator Abdul’aziz Yari pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
Justice Donatus Okorowo, who gave the order in a ruling he delivered Monday on an ex-parte motion moved by Michael Aondoaa on Yari’s behalf, also stopped the Department of State Services, DSS, from detaining the senator-elect.
Justice Okorowo, also, ordered the respondents (EFCC, ICPC, DSS) to show cause in the next adjourned date on why the prayers sought on the motion ex-parte should not be granted.
“The respondents are however restrained from detaining the applicant until the return date for the order to show cause,” he ruled.
The Judge consequently adjourned the matter until June 8 for the respondents to show cause.
The former Zamfara governor, had through his team of lawyers led by Mr Aondoaa, filed the ex-parte motion dated and filed on June 2.
The former governor prayed the court for an order, restraining the respondents (EFCC, ICPC and DSS) their officials, whosoever and howsoever described from arresting and/or threatening to arrest and detain him in order to prevent him from participating at the Proclamation of the 10th Senate by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on June 13.
Yari, who gave 15 grounds on why the application should be granted, averred that he was desirous of contesting the position of the President of the Senate of the 10th National Assembly in accordance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and pursuant to the Senate Standing Orders p2022 as (amended).
He said his aspiration to contest the position of President of the Senate had received overwhelming support from the general public and amongst distinguished senators-elect irrespective of party affiliations.
“The respondents and their agents have threatened to violate the applicant’s rights as enshrined in the constitution by unlawfully threatening to arrest and detain the applicant.
“The respondents and their agents are mandated to operate within the ambit of their establishment laws, and to respect the fundamental human rights of the Applicant as enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.
Yari said if the order was not given, his rights would have been breached by the respondents.
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