A Makurdi High Court on Monday restrained the new Speaker, Benue House of Assembly (BNHA), Mr Titus Uba, from conducting sittings.

Also restrained by the court, which was presided by Justice Theresa Igoche, were four other principal officers of the assembly.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court handed down the restraining order while ruling on an Ex- parte motion filed by the impeached Speaker of the House, Mr Terkimbi Ikyange, seeking to restrain his successor from occupying the seat.

Twenty-two members of the assembly had, on July 24, impeached Ikyande and all other presiding officers, citing highhandedness, and elected Uba’s team to succeed them.

In a dramatic twist, however, Ikyange, along with the sacked principals officers, sat on July 30, and commenced impeachment moves against Gov Samuel Ortom.

Ikyange’s team, at the sitting, also suspended 15 members belonging to Uba’s group.

While rejecting his impeachment, Ikyange had argued that the right procedure was not followed and described his sack as an “act of illegality”.

He then filed an Ex parte motion praying the court to restrain the new Speaker and the other principal officers from parading themselves as officers of the assembly.

Igoche, while ruling on the motion, also restrained the assembly officers from entering its complex or occupying their offices.

The Judge declared that she was in agreement with the argument of Ikyange’s counsel, Mamman Osuman (SAN), that opening the assembly to sittings before the resolution of the matter could cause a breach of the peace.

“The order is necessary to avert any danger that may be caused, and to avoid any breach of the peace,” she declared.