Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court on Monday recused himself from hearing the suit filed by the spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Party (CUPP), Ikenga Imo Ugocjinyere, against the House of Representatives over the probe of a $10 million bribery allegation.
The judge took the decision after expressing his displeasure of what he described as misrepresentation of facts on the matter.
He, thereafter, withdrew from the matter and returned the case file to the Chief Judge for re-assignment.
The development came as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, challenged the jurisdiction of his court to adjudicate on the case.
The CUPP spokesman had alleged that the leadership of the House had received $10 million in bribe from Bill Gates to pass he Infectious Disease Bill pending before the House.
The leadership of the House, responding to the allegation, set up a committee to investigate it.
Ugochinyere, on his part, headed to the court to stop the probe.
But Honourable Gbajabiamila, through his counsel, Dr Kayode Ajulo, filed a preliminary objection to challenge the suit.
In the objection, Ajulo prayed the court for an order striking out or dismissing the plaintiff’s suit for lack of jurisdiction, saying that the suit is incompetent.
According to Ajulo, the entire suit does not also disclose any reasonable cause of action against the respondents as the substance of the suit borders on the statutory and constitutional duty of the
defendants.
Apart from the Speaker, the 2nd respondents in the suit is the Clerk of the National Assembly.
Ajulo further told the court that the suit as presently constituted is pre-mature, adding that there is no cause of action.
THE SUN
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