A High Court sitting at Apo in Abuja has vacated the interim order freezing the 26 bank accounts of the government and people of Abia State.
The court had on the 28th of March granted an order in a suit filed by Mr Uche Eni to freeze all the monies belonging to Abia State that is domiciled within Nigeria.
When the matter was called for hearing, the Attorney General of Abia State, Chief Uche Ihediwa (SAN) who led a team of lawyers from the state’s Ministry of Justice argued that the court lacks the jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Ihediwa expressed dismay that the matter has brought untold hardship to civil servants in Abia State who are yet to receive salaries.
He disclosed that the plaintiff who is a businessman and politician lacks the locus standi to bring the matter before the court and declared the affidavit as fundamentally defective which is tantamount to shutting down the government of Abia State.
He further insisted that the interim order has adversely affected governance in Abia State and prayed the court to vacate the order to enable civil servants received their salaries in order to celebrate Easter festivities with joy.
The claimant’s lawyer, Mr Jideobi Johnmary however asked the court to dismiss the submissions of the defendant because the originating summons were anchored on the constitutional rights of the plaintiff.
After three hours of recess, Justice Bello Kawu ruled on the matter.
In his judgment, he vacated the order freezing the bank accounts of Abia State on the grounds that the interim order lasts for seven days.
The case was adjourned to 27th April for hearing of the sunstantive suit.
