The federal high court in Abuja has refused to extend its interim order issued on July 10, which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from prosecuting Hudu Yunusa-Ari, suspended Adamawa state resident electoral commissioner (REC).
INEC is seeking the prosecution of the suspended REC for declaring Senator Binani, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the Adamawa State governorship election on April 15, 2023.
At the resumed court session on Tuesday, Rotimi Jacobs, INEC lawyer, informed the court that the applicant had not served the respondents with the court’s July 10 order.
Jacobs who also contested the competence and jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter in a counter affidavit to the motion, stated that the lifespan of the interim order expired on July 18.
However, counsel for Binani, Michael Aondoaka, argued that the interim order cannot expire since the defendants had not shown cause as directed by the court.
Aondoaka added that the INEC counsel cannot say he was not served with the processes of the court as he had joined issues in the matter.
Justice Danotus Okorowo refused to extend the interim order previously granted, and adjourned the matter to July 24.
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