The Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to vacate a restraining order issued against the federal government stopping the bid to deduct $418M Paris Club Refund from bank accounts of the 36 states of the federation.
Justice Inyang Ekwo held that the order shall subsist until the motion for interlocutory injunction filed by the states against the federal government is determined.
At Tuesday’s proceedings some of the defendants made desperate efforts to argue their motions asking the court to discharge the restraining order granted in favour of the states against the deduction of the money by the federal government.
Counsel for the defendants Wole Olanipekun and Olusola oke, in an oral application urged the court to discharge the order that the restraining order ought to last for 14 days and that it should be deemed as expired .
However, counsel for the states Jibrin Okutepa submitted that until the motion for interlocutory injunction is settled, the interim order shall be in force and bidding on all parties.
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Justice Iyang however asked parties, 36 states to regularize their processes that were filled out of time.
The court also granted permission for substituted service on some of the defendants who have allegedly refused to accept court processes.
In an interview with Journalists, Onyeka Nwokolo who stood for Ned Woko and Linas International Ltd expressed disgust over the way and manner the Paris club refund was being politicized and used to blackmail some of the defendants.
Justice Ekwo had on November 5 stopped the federal government from going ahead to deduct the $418million dollars from the bank account of the 36 states governments.
The Judge had issued a restraining order against the federal government following an exparte application by the states.
Defendants in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation AGF, Finance Minister, Accountant General of the Federation and all banks in Nigeria among others.
Editor: Hadiza.A.A
