THE Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has sued the state’s House of Assembly, the Speaker, the Inspect General of Police (IGP) and other over an alleged plot to impeach him.
In an originating summon sighted by News Point Nigeria, Ewhrudjakpo alleged among others, that members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly were being pressured to impeach him for failing to resign, like the governor, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on whose platform they got to office.
In the suit filed on his behalf at the Federal High Court, Abuja, by his lawyer, Reuben Egwuaba, it was alleged that members of the House of Assembly were currently plotting to impeach Ewhrudjakpo.
It was also alleged that some local government chairmen, including that of Sagbama Local Government Area, Alice Tange, are also being threatened with sack for allegedly failing to leave the PDP along with the governor.
After listening to his counsel who moved an ex-parte motion, Justice Emeka Nwite ordered the defendants to appear before the court to show cause why the interim reliefs being sought against them by the plaintiff should not be granted.
Listed as defendants in the suit are: Bayelsa State House of Assembly, its Speaker, the IGP, the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), the Attorney General of Bayelsa State, the state’s Chief Judge and the Clerk of the state’s Assembly.
Justice Nwite held that the interest of justice will be met by issuing an order for all the defendants to appear and show cause why an order of interim injunction should not be granted against them pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed by the plaintiff
The judge adjourned till November 13 for the defendants to show cause, failing which he would proceed to hear the motion on notice.
The interim reliefs being sought in the motion on notice includes an order restraining the defendants from removing or impeaching Ewhrudjakpo by disregarding the provision of Section 188(5), (6), (7)(a), (b), (8), (9) and (11) and Section 36(1) of the Constitution based on his decision not to defect/decamp from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any registered political party before the expiration of his four years tenure as an elected deputy governor of Bayelsa state pending hearing of the motion on notice.
He also wants an order restraining the defendants from initiating impeachment notice, impeachment proceedings/meetings of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly against him on his decision not to defect/decamp from the PDP to the APC before the expiration of his four years tenure as an elected deputy governor of Bayelsa State pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
Ewhrudjakpo equally wants an order restraining the defendants from conducting any meeting, sitting, conference for the purpose of initiating or igniting impeachment proceedings against him as well as an order restraining the defendants from recognizing and dealing with the appointment of any member of the APC as the deputy governor of the state.
He is also praying the the court for an order restraining the IGP, the DG of the SSS and the Bayelsa State AG from withdrawing his security protection as Deputy Governor of Bayelsa state pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, had recently resigned from the PDP, but Ewhrudjakpo failed to resign his membership of the party.