The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday granted a stay of proceedings in the suits brought against the election and swearing-in of Alhaji Idris Wada as Governor of Kogi.
Mr Jibrin Isah and Mr Oyebode Makinde, both of the PDP filed the suits challenging the candidacy and eventual swearing-in of Wada as governor.
The presiding Judge, Justice Donatus Okorowo, held that the court was compelled to grant the stay of proceedings in view of the Notice of Appeal brought by Chief Chris Uche (SAN), counsel to the governor.
NAN reports that Okorowo had earlier dismissed the application brought by Wada for stay of proceedings in the suits, describing it “baseless and lacking in merit.''
NAN further reports that there was a twist after the court resumed from a short recess to commence hearing on the matter.
Counsel to the governor had availed the court with a Notice of Appeal from the Court of Appeal.
Okorowo then said that the rules of the court barred it from continuing with proceedings when a Notice of Appeal had been served over an earlier decision of the court.
Wada had informed the court of his decision to appeal the consolidation of the suits, as according to him, the plaintiffs’ suits “did not raise any uniform issues to warrant the granting of the consolidation.''
The governor had further informed the court of his readiness to appeal the dismissal of his motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court.
The governor had on Feb. 29, filed an application for stay of execution of the consolidation of the suits and the commencement of hearing pending the determination of the appeal.
The judge adjourned the case to April 25 for the parties to avail it with the progress from the Court of Appeal.?