By Samuel Oyadongha
Yenagoa—A Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Yenagoa,   has  adjourned till June 29 for ruling on an application for an injunction against the sitting of the investigative panel set up by the state Chief Judge on the directive of the state lawmakers, to investigate allegations of misconduct levelled against the Deputy Governor, Peremobowei Ebebi.

Meanwhile, attempts by Ebebi’s lawyers to have the investigative panel stay further hearing failed yesterday, as the chairman of the panel insisted on going on with the hearing, until the panel was served with a certified copy of the proceeding before the state high court.

Ebebi had filed a suit before the state high court, challenging the impeachment notice against him by the state House of Assembly. He is also challenging the constitution of the investigative panel on the grounds that the chairman of the panel may be biased.

Defendants in the suit are the Speaker of the House, the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, the Clerk of the House, Chief Judge of the state and members of House of Assembly.

Counsel to the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, also joined in the suit, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, told the court it had no jurisdiction to hear the matter.

“We have drawn your attention to Section 188 (6). The forum for embarking on any action now is before that panel, not your lordship’s court.

Olanipekun argued that the panel was not inferior to the Assembly because both were exercising judicial functions and warned the court on the consequences of “jurisdictional prostitution” which higher courts of the land had warned about.

“Your lordship will take judicial notice that the panel had commenced sitting. The matter of jurisdiction is not to be taken for granted,” he said.

He informed the court that no court of higher jurisdiction in the land had over ruled the decisions taken on the impeachment case of Balarabe Musa.
“Respect this constitutional embargo and take note that no proceedings shall be entertained on the matter as provided in Section 188 (10),” he said.
Also, counsel to the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and the 17 lawmakers, Mr. Sebastian Hon, SAN, said the doctrine of separation of powers had “denied your lordship’s interference.”