LG Chairmen: Appeal Court Rejects Stay Of Proceeding

The Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has refused a motion of stay of proceeding brought by the State Attorney General on the matter involving the 22 dissolved local government council chairmen elected on the platform of the All Progressive Congress.
The trial judge, Justice Orji Obadua, refused this motion Friday, on the grounds that the application of stay of proceedings can not be brought to the court through oral application.
Justice Obadua said the court cannot be informed on the supreme court notice orally adding that the Attorney General must bring the motion in a proper way in accordance with the law.
She averred that the respondents in the matter were not served hence granting such motion would amount to coming through back doors.
The trial judge however ordered the Attorney General of the state to file and serve a notice of hearing to the respondents in the matter within four days. She further urged the 4th and 5th defendants in the matter, to ensure to present and move the espartee motion filed by them pending before the court on the resumption of the matter on the next sitting.
Speaking to journalists, the counsel to the applicants, Mr Thaddeus Dzedi said the court declining to adjourn the matter sine dine was a way forward adding that it would enable the  defendants to move their motion as well as serve the Director of State Security (DSS) and Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
Also speaking, counsel to the PDP, Felix Onuzurike (Esq), said the parties involved in the matter were not served with the motion of say proceeding from supreme court adding that with the ruling the case is making some progress.