A Lagos High Court Sitting in the Ikeja area has ordered parties to maintain the status quo in connection with the ongoing probe of procurement of 820 buses by the administration of the former Governor of the State, Akinwunmi Ambode.
The order was made a sequel to a request by the Counsel to the Lagos House of Assembly, Mrs Adenike Oshinowo who requested more time to file a response to the suit filed by the former governor.
Through his lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), the former governor had instituted a suit against the Assembly to contest the constitutionality of the probe of 820 buses which he says were procured based on budgetary approval as part of the Bus Reform Project of the State Government.
He added that the procurement was designed to revolutionise public transportation in line with global best practices.
Ambode had earlier asked the court to stop the state House of Assembly from probing him over the 820 mass transit buses purchased by his administration.
The Lagos lawmakers had accused Ambode of purchasing the 820 buses in breach of budgetary provisions.
They issued a summons for the ex-governor to appear on Wednesday (today) before an ad hoc committee set up to probe the purchase of the buses.
The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, threatened that the House would issue a warrant for Ambode’s arrest should he continue to shun invitation by the lawmakers.
But on Tuesday, Ambode, through his lawyer went before Justice Y.A. Akinsanya with an ex parte application, seeking an interim order of injunction against the lawmakers.
(C) Control TV 2019.
