Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday reaffirmed that his order on maintaining status quo in respect of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention remains in force and must not be flouted by any of the parties involved in a suit on the convention.
Justice Omotosho who stated that no party must take any step that may jeopardize or render the decision of his court nugatory and warned that he would be forced to make consequential orders against any party that resorts to self help, spoke spoke following the complaint by one of the lawyers to the PDP, Chris Uche SAN, that his client is being held back by the status quo maintenance order and applied for speedy hearing of the suit.
Speaking at Thursday’s proceeding, Justice Omotosho said that his court would do everything possible to deliver judgment before the end of October.
The judge specifically warned that no party would be allowed to use any ploy to delay speedy hearing of the suit challenging the legality or otherwise of the planned national convention of the party scheduled for November 15th and 16th in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“You and I as Lawyers and Ministers in the temple of justice know that once a suit is filed in respect of any matter and parties have been served with processes, it is the law that no party should take any step in respect of such suit.
“The court must not be over- reached and where such is done, the court has power to issue consequential order, nullifying such act. We all know the law and please, let us respect the law. It is in our collective interest.
“In the instant case, I can assure you that the court decision will be made between now and the end of October. On the day of the judgment, parties will be given copies of the judgment. I type my own judgments by myself, so there will be no issue of any delay”, Justice Omotosho said.
