Fashola: Drama in Lagos Assembly as bailiff serves court injunction
Written by Adewale Ajayi, Kunle Awosiyan and Sarah Ogburogho, Lagos

THERE was a mild drama at the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Thursday, when the bailiff of the state high court came to serve members of the House a copy of the court injunction restraining the legislators from continuing with the probe into allegation of financial impropriety against the state governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola.

The Lagos High Court, Ikorodu Division, had, on Wednesday, restrained the state House of Assembly from probing Fashola over allegations of financial misappropriation, following a motion filed by one human rights activist, Dr Richard Akinola.

Reacting to the court injunction, the Speaker of the House, Honourable Adeyemi Ikuforiji, said “as a law-abiding House, it would abide by the court injunction,” adding that since the injunction would last only seven days before the court give its final ruling, they would comply with the ruling.”

When the bailiff wanted to serve the House with the court order on Thursday morning, the security men frustrated him from gaining entrance.

The bailiff, frustrated, had to go back to inform the counsel for the complainant, Mr Bamidele Aturu, who eventually accompanied the bailiff and Mr Akinnola.

The security men at the House maintained their stand, ensuring that the bailiff could not gain entrance into the House.

One of the security men told the sheriff that he could not receive the court order because he had been warned by the clerk not to do so, adding that the secretary to the clerk was not around to receive it.

While the drama lasted, some journalists who wanted to capture the scene were manhandled, including the correspondent of ThisDay, Mr Gboyega Akinsanmi.

The tape of the Channels Television camera man was equally seized, but was given back to him when the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Mr Lanre Odubote, intervened.

The court bailiff was eventually able to serve the injunction when Honourable Bayo Osinowo and former Deputy Speaker of the House, Honourable Funmi Tejuosho, a member of the investigating panel, intervened.

The copy of the injunction was received at the reception of the speaker.

Honourable Tejuosho apologised to the bailiff for the unruly behaviour of the security men.

Reacting to the development, Aturu said he was disappointed at the behaviour of the security men of the House, adding that “I was a little bit scandalised with what we saw here in the morning and this afternoon until some of the very highly respectable and responsible members of the House intervened in the matter.”

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