Court to take decision on Court of appeal new justice appointment
A federal high court in Abuja on Wednesday fixed June 25 to deliver judgment in a suit seeking to stop the appointment of 18 new Justices for the Court of Appeal.
Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the matter for judgment after lawyers to the parties adopted their processes and addresses.
An Igbo socio-cultural group, “the Incorporated Trustees of Alaigbo Development Foundation,” had filed the suit .It alleged marginalizstion of the entire South East Zone of the country as none of the appointees were from the zone.
The group, through its lawyer, Mr Max Ozoaka, argued that the selection of the 18 Justices done by the National Judicial Council (NJC) violated the provisions of the 1999 Constitution through lopsidedness in the nomination.
Specifically, the group alleged that the Principle of Federal Character was breached in the way and manner the Appeal Court justices were nominated . They therefore prayed the court to stop the appointment.
But the first respondent the NJC represented by Mr Paul Usoro (SAN), asked the court to decline jurisdiction on the matter..He said while arguing his preliminary objection that the plaintiff lacked locus standi to institute the case.
He also objected to the hearing on the ground that the aims and objectives of the Incorporated Trustees of Alaigbo Development Foundation did not include instituting cases of public interest.
In his part, counsel to the 2nd and 3rd respondents (Federal Judicial Service Commission and President, Court of Appeal) Mr Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) also urged the court to refuse to entertain the matter on the grounds that Section 20 of the Comapanies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) did not permit the group to embark on instituting such an action.
A federal high court in Abuja on Wednesday fixed June 25 to deliver judgment in a suit seeking to stop the appointment of 18 new Justices for the Court of Appeal.
Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the matter for judgment after lawyers to the parties adopted their processes and addresses.
An Igbo socio-cultural group, “the Incorporated Trustees of Alaigbo Development Foundation,” had filed the suit .It alleged marginalizstion of the entire South East Zone of the country as none of the appointees were from the zone.
The group, through its lawyer, Mr Max Ozoaka, argued that the selection of the 18 Justices done by the National Judicial Council (NJC) violated the provisions of the 1999 Constitution through lopsidedness in the nomination.
Specifically, the group alleged that the Principle of Federal Character was breached in the way and manner the Appeal Court justices were nominated . They therefore prayed the court to stop the appointment.
But the first respondent the NJC represented by Mr Paul Usoro (SAN), asked the court to decline jurisdiction on the matter..He said while arguing his preliminary objection that the plaintiff lacked locus standi to institute the case.
He also objected to the hearing on the ground that the aims and objectives of the Incorporated Trustees of Alaigbo Development Foundation did not include instituting cases of public interest.
In his part, counsel to the 2nd and 3rd respondents (Federal Judicial Service Commission and President, Court of Appeal) Mr Yakubu Maikyau (SAN) also urged the court to refuse to entertain the matter on the grounds that Section 20 of the Comapanies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) did not permit the group to embark on instituting such an action.