A former lawmaker representing Kogi West senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Dino Melaye, has sued the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Femi Gbajabiamila, and four others over the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, 2020.
In a suit he filed on Monday, Senator Melaye asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to declare that the provisions of sections 5(3), 6, 8, 13(1&2), 15, 16(6), 17(7), 19, 23, 24, 29 (b), 30, 44, 45 and 47 of the bill were draconian, oppressive and authoritarian.
He also sought an order of the court declaring that they were in breach, and or were likely to breach his fundamental rights, as provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
In a notice of application for an order enforcing his fundamental rights, Senator Melaye prayed for an order of the court declaring the sections as invalid, illegal, unlawful, unconstitutional, null, and void and of no effect whatsoever.
He also requested an order of the court directing the first to fourth respondents to delete the provisions of sections 5(3), 6, 8, 13(1&2), 15, 16(6), 17(7), 19, 23, 24, 29 (b), 30, 44, 45 and 47 of the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill 2020, saying they inconsistent with sections 34,35,37,38,40,41(1) and 44 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
Senator Meale also sought an order of injunction restraining the respondents, whether, by themselves, their committees, their agents, employees, servants, privies and or howsoever called, from further proceeding with, or continuing with further debates, or the law-making processes with respect to sections 5(3), 6, 8, 13(1&2), 15, 16(6), 17(7), 19, 23, 24, 29 (b), 30, 44, 45 and 47 of the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill,\ 2020.
Listed as the first to fifth respondents are Clerk of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Clerk of the House of Representatives, and the speaker of the House of Representatives.
Others are the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police.
However, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
