Ozekhome to court: Gbajabiamila convicted in U.S., not qualified as Reps Speaker

For allegedly having a ‘tainted and questionable character’, a Federal High Court in Abuja was on Monday told to stop Hon Femi Gbajabiamila from emerging as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
To human rights activist, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Gbajabiamila was convicted in Georgia, the United States (U.S.) for unethical practices and was debarred ‎for 36 months.
He also asked the court to declare that Gbajabiamila is not a fit and proper person to be elected as a member and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The court okayed the suit by Ozekhome, who is the lawyer to a rights group, Social Justice and Civil Rights Awareness Initiative, seeking to stop Gbajabiamila, the sole candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as Nigeria’s number four citizen.
The group had approached the court through an ex-parte application praying for an order of court to stop Gbajabiamila from parading himself as a member of the House of Representatives and also an aspirant for the office of the Speaker.
Listed as defendants alongside Gbajabiamila are the House of Representatives and the Attorney General of the Federation.
The trial judge, Justice Abdul Kafarati, who heard the matter in Chamber, ordered the plaintiff to put the defendants on Notice to come and show cause why the reliefs of the plaintiffs should not be granted.
He consequently adjourned till June 18 for mention.
The plaintiff hinged its suit on the ground that Gbajabiamila was convicted in the State of Georgia for unethical practices and was debarred ‎for 36 months.
The group asked the court to declare that Gbajabiamila is not a fit and proper person to be elected as a member and Speaker of the House of Representatives
The plaintiff also wants the court to give an order restraining the House of Representatives from accepting the nomination of Gbajabiamila as an aspirant for the office of Speaker.
The group also wants the court to give an order of injunction, restraining Gbajabiamila from parading himself as a member of the Lower Chamber and also as an aspirant for the office of the Speaker.
The court was also asked to grant an order of injunction restraining the House of Reps and AGF from recognising Gbajabiamila as a member and also an aspirant for the office of the speaker.
The plaintiff also alleged that Gbajabiamila has a United States (U.S.) international passport, even though he has Nigerian descent, an action which contravenes the constitution as regards membership of the House of Representatives.
To the plaintiff, the mood of the nation today will not warrant placing the position of the speaker in the hands of any individual that has a tainted or questionable character.