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Infectious Disease Bill: Court To Hear Melaye’s Suit Against NASS June 1
The Federal High Court in Abuja today fixes June 1 to hear a application filed by Sen. Dino Melaye against the National Assembly over the infectious diseases bill 2020.
The bill was sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu fixes the matter date to enable the applicant serve court processes on all counsel in the matter.
Mr Kayode Ajulo, counsel to the Speaker of the House of Representatives earlier said that he was yet to receive the processes of the applicant and was therefore not ready for the matter.
He, however, accepted service following the directive of the judge.
Former senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, had dragged the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to court over the controversial “Control of Infectious Disease Bill 2020”.
Also read: Infectious Disease Bill: Dino Melaye Drags Gbaja, House Of Reps To Court
Melaye also joined the clerks of the senate and house of representatives as respondents.
The bill which was sponsored by Gbajabiamila and other lawmakers, Pascal Obi and Tanko Sununu, seeks to empower the Federal Government to, upon mere suspicion that a person is infected with an infectious disease, arrest and detain the person for as long as necessary.
Section 37 of the Bill also seeks to empower the Federal Government to direct compulsory vaccination in an outbreak or a suspected outbreak of an infectious disease.
Mr Nkemakolam Okoro, counsel to Melaye told newsmen that several sections of the bill were likely to infringe on the rights of both his client and other Nigerians.
He is therefore praying the court for an order declaring some sections of the bill invalid and unconstitutional, as same constituted a gross abuse of the fundamental rights of his client and or will likely be infringing upon the fundamental rights of his client and Nigerians if eventually passed into law.
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