15:T78a,

An Abuja High Court sitting in Apo district has adjourned proceedings sine die (indefinitely) in a N250 billion suit filed by Lagos businessman and oil magnet Femi Otedola against the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and former Chairman, House Adhoc Committee on fuel subsidy probe, Farouk Lawan.

Otedola is claiming N250 billion as compensation for harassment, intimidation and business loses caused him by the defendants while allegedly demanding for $3m bribe, but proceedings were brought to a halt following Farouk Lawan’s appeal challenge the jurisdiction of the FCT High Court at the Court of the Appeal.

When proceedings resumed yesterday, Lawal through his lawyers told the presiding judge, Justice Peter Kekemeke, he was not satisfied with the court’s decision to hear the case.

He informed the court that a notice of appeal had already been filed at the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal and asked the high court to stop further hearing in the suit pending the final decision of the appellate court.

Hence Otedola and Tambuwal’s counsels were not in court and there was no objection to Lawal’s motion to appeal against the jurisdiction dispute, Justice Kekemeke, in a brief ruling, held that the first defendant in the legal battle had satisfied the conditions for a stay
of proceedings and adjourned the case sine die.

Tambuwal and Lawan had objected to hearing of Otedola’s case on the grounds that they are protected by House Immunity and cannot be taken to court for either civil or criminal matters on any of their actions on the floor of the House.

•Photo: Femi Otedola.

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