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Tag: FCT

  • N1.15trn FCT budget to transform Abuja, rural areas – Wike

    N1.15trn FCT budget to transform Abuja, rural areas – Wike

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says the N1.15 trillion 2024 proposed FCT Statutory Budget was designed to transform the capital city and rural communities.

    Wike stated this when he appeared before the Senate and House Committees on FCT, to defend the proposed statutory budget, in Abuja on Monday.

    He explained that out of the N1.15 trillion, N421.44 billion was earmarked as recurrent expenditure, representing 36.7 per cent, while N726.3 billion was set aside for capital expenditure, representing 63.3 per cent.

    He also explained that the proposed capital expenditure would be dedicated for the development of infrastructure with emphasis on completion of ongoing projects.

    Wike added that out of the N726.3 billion proposed capital expenditure, N80 billion was allocated for SUKUK loan projects, while N29 billion was earmarked for Abuja Light Rail project.

    The minister also said that N500 billion was for commercial loans for the completion of some ongoing capital projects in the federal capital city and satellite towns.

    He said that the balance of N117.3 billion was dedicated to the completion of ongoing capital projects and other counterpart funded related projects, aimed at enhancing socio-economic activities in the FCT.

    Wike said that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) got the larger chunk of the capital budget.

    He said that FCDA got N457 billion, STDD N116 billion, while other Secretariat, Departments and Agencies (SDAs) got N153.3 billion.

    This, according to him, is to address critical areas like ongoing road construction, completion of water treatment plant and related facilities and few new projects.

    He explained that the N457 billion allocated to FCDA was for the provision of infrastructure within and around the capital city, of which N282 billion was for ongoing projects, while N175 billion was for new critical projects.

    “Some of the critical projects to be executed by the FCT Administration in the 2024 statutory budget proposal are the completion of Roads B6 and B12 and construction of access road and car park for Abuja Light Rail.

    “Full scope development of Arterial Road N20 from Northern Parkway to Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX), provision of engineering infrastructure to Guzape, and provision of engineering infrastructure to Wuye District.

    “There is also the extension of Inner Southern Expressway (ISEX) from Southern Parkway (S8/S9) to Ring Road II (RRII), full scope development of FCT Highway 105 (Kuje Road) from Airport Expressway to OSEX with Spur at Kyami District,

    “Construction of Northern Parkway from Ring Road II to Ring Road III (6.2Km), full scope development of N5 and N20 and provision of engineering district infrastructure to Asokoro Island Layout in the FCT.

    “The sum of N198.5 billion is earmarked for the above eight major roads to speed up their completion before the end of 2024 fiscal year.

    “The expansion and rehabilitation of these roads will eventually reduce the travel time and traffic gridlock on our roads within and outside the city,” he said.

    The minister added that the transportation sector got N69 billion, of which N32 billion was for the construction of Bus Terminals Development at Kugbo, Jahi and Central Business District.

    He said that N80.3 billion was proposed for education sector, while the health sector got N45.7 billion.

    “The health budget seeks to complete the construction of hospitals in Gwagwalada, Gwarimpa and Utako Districts to enhance the capacity of some of our hospitals through the procurement of modern ambulances for eight FCTA hospitals,” he said.

    Wike also said that a total of N7.9 billion was proposed for FCT Agriculture and Rural Development sector to improve agricultural production and engagement of youths in agriculture,

    This, the minister said, would enhance food security, income, and better standards of living in the rural communities.

    “We shall invest in the provision of agricultural inputs such as improved seeds, agro-chemicals, and fertiliser among others.

    “We shall also develop cluster farm centres in both the livestock and crop production sub- sectors,” he added.

    Wike equally said that N5 billion was allocated to the Social Development Secretariat for the promotion of gender, youths, children development, and other vulnerable groups in the FCT.

    “It will also be used for the promotion and preservation of Nigeria’s art and culture within the FCT, including the development of sports through the provision of sporting, cultural and recreational facilities,” he said.

    Wike also said that the Legal Services Secretariat got N5.6 billion for the provision of legal services, while N1.2 billion was earmarked for the Abuja Geographic Information System.

    The minister further said that the sum of N4.2 billion was proposed for the Area Council Services Secretariat to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for rural transformation, improve the quality of lives of citizens.

    “The secretariat is also expected to strengthen the traditional institutions as effective tools for mobilisation of people at the grassroots to achieve the developmental goals of the FCT Administration,” he said.

    Earlier, the Chairman Senate and House Committees on FCT, Ibrahim Bomai, and Muktar Betara respectively, who commended the minister for the development stride in the FCT, assured him the full support of the National Assembly.

  • Perform or be sacked, Wike tells FCTA Perm. Secs.

    Perform or be sacked, Wike tells FCTA Perm. Secs.

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has advised the newly inaugurated Permanent Secretaries for the FCT Administration to perform, else, they will be sacked.

    Wike gave the warning after the inauguration of the Chairman and Commissioners of the FCT Civil Service Commission, FCT Head of Service, and the Permanent Secretaries in Abuja on Monday.

    “As a permanent secretary, you are not a political appointee, and you know the implication of that.

    “If you perform below our expectations, there is nothing like query him in accordance with civil service rules.

    “We have no time for that. We will just send you packing as permanent secretary,’’ he said.

    Wike added: “I don’t want to hear that files are unduly delayed.

    “We want you to support the government of President Bola Tinubu to realise the Renewed Hope Agenda’’.

    The minister reminded the FCT workers of the long struggle for the realisation of the FCT Civil Service Commission since enactment of the law in 2018.

    He said as President Tinubu had actualised the dream, it was only fair that workers pay back by being committed and work for the success of his administration.

    The minister said the newly inaugurated Head of Service would send out posting letters to Directors as part of his promise to reshuffle them.

    Wike also called on the Coordinators of Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD), Abuja Municipal Management Council (AMMC) and Abuja Infrastructure Investment Council (AIIC) to discharge their duties diligently.

    He particularly urged the STDD coordinator to pay close attention to the developments taking place in area councils in line with the directive of President Tinubu.

    Wike also urged AMMC coordinator to make sure the street lights are working, sanitation are done very well, and public buildings are well repaired.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that those inaugurated are Mr Emeka Ezeh as Chairman of the Commission and with six commissioners representing the six geopolitical zones.

    The commissioners are, Ahmed Mohammed (North West), Anthony Okeah (South-South), Mohammed Ibrahim (North East), Miskoom Naantuam (North Central), Jide Jimoh (South West) and Barrister Azubike (South East).

    Also inaugurated is Mr Udo Atang, the pioneer Head of FCT Civil Service and 10 permanent secretaries.

    They permanent secretaries are; Adam Babagana (North East), Wanki Ibrahim (North East), Asmau Mukhtar (North West), Dogo Bodinga (North West), Olusa Olusegun (South West) and Adetoyi Kolawole (South West).

    Others are; Grace Adayilo (North Central), Olubunmi Olowookere (North Central), Ibe Chukwuemeka (South East) and Okonkwo Nonubari (South South).

    The minister also inaugurated Mr Abdulkadir Zulkarfi as Coordinator STDD and Mr Felix Obuah, Coordinator AMMC.

    NAN reports that Mr Oladiran Akindele who was appointed Coordinator, Abuja Infrastructure Investment Council (AIIC) was absent at the inauguration.

     

  • Court rejects suit challenging appointment of 12 judges for FCT High Court

    Court rejects suit challenging appointment of 12 judges for FCT High Court

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, threw out a suit challenging the appointment of 12 judges for the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment on Friday, held that the plaintiff, Azubuike Oko, who claimed to be a lawyer from Ebonyi, lacked the legal right to institute the matter.

    Justice Ekwo also upheld the objection raised by Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, counsel for the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola; the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Hussein Baba-Yusuf.

    Oko had, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/205/2024, challenged the non-inclusion of lawyers from his state among the newly appointed judges of the High Court of the FCT.

    He alleged that Ebonyi had been routinely excluded and marginalised with respect to the appointment of judges of the court by Baba-Yusuf, NJC and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).

    Oko claimed that it was the FCT chief judge who computed the names of qualified lawyers from selected states, which he sent to the FJSC for recommendation to NJC for appointment by the President of Nigeria as judges of the court.

    He said the states from which the new appointment was made are Bauchi, Bayelsa, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, and Zamfara.

    He alleged that currently, Oyo and Kogi “already had two serving judges in the FCT High Court, and the two states were given additional slots, to now have three judges, despite the fact that Ebonyi State has no single serving judge in the High Court of the FCT.”

    Justice Ekwo, in the judgment on Friday held that the plaintiff was not saying that he had personal injury caused by the CJN, NJC and the Chief Judge of the FCT
    or any other defendant in the case for which he sought remedy.

    He said that “the plaintiff only claimed that he is from Ebonyi, which had been routinely excluded and marginalised with respect to the appointment of judges of the High Court of FCT by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants (the CJN, NJC and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC).

    “What the plaintiff needed to establish to demonstrate his locus standi is how the appointment being considered by the defendants has affected him as a person.

    “This, he would have done, by showing that he applied to be considered by the defendants for appointment but he was ‘routinely excluded and marginalized.’

    “On the other hand, he would have established that he is acting for any person or persons from Ebonyi State, who are qualified to be appointed and who have indeed applied to be considered for the said appointment, but had been ‘routinely marginalised.’

    “In other words, there is no averment that the plaintiff ever applied to be considered for the appointment in issue.

    “Without this, I find that that plaintiff has failed to establish his locus standi to initiate this action.”

    The judge equally faulted Oko’s attempt to rely on his being from Ebonyi to establish his locus standi to institute the suit.

    “The fact that the plaintiff is from Ebonyi State does not still avail him the locus to initiate this case because, in his view, Ebonyi State of Nigeria has been routinely excluded and marginalised with respect to the appointment of judges of the High Court of FCT by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants.

    “Ebonyi State, for whose cause the plaintiff claims to undertake, is a legal entity established by the constitution with requisite corporate characteristics, including the capacity to sue and be sued for any wrong done to it by any person.

    “Assuming that the plaintiff can sue on behalf of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, which according to him, has been routinely excluded and marginalised with respect to the appointment of judges of the High Court of FCT by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants, the averment that would have established his locus beyond any conjecture would be that the case is in a representative capacity and that he has the consent and authority of Ebonyi State of Nigeria to file thes case.

    “It must be understood, at this point, that public interest litigation does not extend to suit purportedly filed on behalf of any person who has the capacity and wherewithal to seek remedy for any wrong done to his/her person, but does not deem it necessary to do so.

    “I find that Ebonyi State has the requisite capacity to seek remedy for any wrong done to it.

    “By this reason, the plaintiff is obviously meddling in the affairs of 1st, 2nd and 4th defendants by taking up a cause of a state, who has not authorised him to do so.

    “It is the law that the court in ascertaining whether the plaintiff in an action has locus standi, pleadings, that is, the statement of caim, or the affidavit in support of the originating process, must disclose a cause of action vested in the plaintiff and the rights and obligations or interests of the plaintiff which have been violated;

    “Now, as the law is, where a plaintiff has been adjudged to lack locus stand, it does not matter whether that action is premature, speculative and academic, or discloses no reasonable cause of action against the defendant, or the originating process is defective and incompetent, or suit is not justiciable, or the suit is abuse of court process.

    “Lack of focus stand ordinarily means the plaintiff has no legal right or authority to cross the threshold of the court for the matter at hand.

    “Once the court finds that the plaintiff lacks focus stand, then the case ends there.

    “The court ceases to have jurisdiction to consider or decide any other issue in the suit and this is the case here.

    “It is the law that the claims must be struck out and I am bound to follow the law.

    ”I therefore make an order striking out this action for lack of locus standi of the applicant,” Justice Ekwo declared.

  • Police arrest armed robber who disguises as lunatic in Lagos

    Police arrest armed robber who disguises as lunatic in Lagos

    The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) says its operatives in Lagos State have arrested one Olaseinde Ojo, who disguises as a lunatic to get close to his victims and rob or kidnap them.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, made this known in a statement on Thursday.

    Another arrest was also made along Dolphin Bridge when the police operatives on patrol intercepted a dispatch rider identified as Samson Shina in possession of a locally made pistol and some charms.

    The police in the statement urged members of the public to stay alert and cautious, and also keep their belongings secure.

    The statement reads:

    “The operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in their quest to tackle crimes and criminality across the country have once again recorded milestone achievements in various areas.

    “It is our responsibility as the lead Security Agency in Nigeria to update the public of our efforts to curb the menace of crimes in our society, and also educate Nigerians on the series of antics adopted by Criminals so as to guide against them

    “For instance, our operatives in Lagos State and FCT Command, having intensified their operational strategies, have successfully arrested several criminals connected to atrocious crimes.

    “Among these is the arrest of one Olaseinde Ojo ‘m’, a suspected armed robber and kidnapper at Post Office, Isokoko who disguises as a lunatic to get close to his victims and rob or kidnap them.

    “Another arrest was made along Dolphin Bridge when the police operatives patrolling that axis intercepted a dispatch rider identified as Samson Shina ‘m’ in possession of a locally made pistol and some charms.

    “Similarly, operatives of the FCT command on stop at search duty around Taxi Park area, Abuja, accosted a motorcycle carrying 3 passengers one Usman Musa ‘m’ and 2 others, and found in their possession a locally fabricated Beretta pistol with 11 rounds of live ammunition.

    “Search conducted in their premises also led to recovery of $5,800 fake dollar notes and other incriminating items.

    “Amid rising concerns about personal safety, the Nigeria Police urges citizens to remain vigilant and prioritize their security.

    “With recent reports highlighting various incidents, including thefts, defilement, and assault, it’s essential for individuals to take proactive measures.

    “These include being sensitive to their surroundings, especially in unfamiliar areas, and avoiding isolated or poorly lit places, particularly at night.

    “Moreover, members of the public are encouraged to keep their belongings secure and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities promptly.

    “By staying alert and cautious, everyone can play a role in fostering a safer society for all, and we will not fall into the antics of the criminals”.

  • Blackout: AEDC aggravating suffering of consumers in parts of FCT

    Blackout: AEDC aggravating suffering of consumers in parts of FCT

    An electricity consumer Mr Jimoh Olarewaju says the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) is aggravating suffering of its consumers in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Olarewaju, who resides in Kubwa said this in an interview with NAN in Abuja on Sunday.

    He was reacting to AEDC’s notice to its customers in Kubwa Abuja:

    The notice read in part: ” the power outage currently being experienced is due to the stormy weather that has damaged several critical equipment serving these areas.

    “F01, Military Pension Board, Dantata Estate, Chikakore Community, Byazhin, Across, Arab Road, Mopol Barracks, Kubwa Extension III, FCDA Owners Occupier, Army Scheme, Phase 3, Phase 4, and environs.

    ”Our team of engineers are currently working hard to rectify and restore the power supply soonest.”

    He said that the notice was not tenable as AEDC had come out with three excuses on the Kubwa electricity supply situation.

    He said’ ”first they said it was feeder pillar that had issue, Secondly, they said some of their equipment were vandalised and now stormy weather damaged critical equipment.

    ”It is over one week that parts of Kubwa had been without power supply, before now we normally have it for two or three hours a day but now it is total blackout.

    ”We have never had it so bad and it is unfortunate that AEDC can keep a whole community in darkness for days.

    ”What people are saying that the issue is a delebrate effort to sabotage this government as we all know that people are going through a lot presently,”he said.

    According to him, with the removal of fuel subsidy, the dollar issue, the only thing that make people sit at home is electricity and this is not available.

    Olarewaju said that consumers were complaining bitterly as it was affecting their businesses.

    He said that small scale businesses were affected the most as they use electricity to run their business.

    ”In my farm, I now depend on generator to pump water to preserve the fishes in the pond and most of them are dying

    ”At at the same time, there is scarcity of fuel and people are queuing to get the product and the money is not there.

    ”We even learnt that there is enough electricity to transmit but the distribution companies are not taking enough.

    “That is why people are saying it is sabotage, if the power supply is available we are ready to buy,” he said.

  • Why I am always at project sites – Wike

    Why I am always at project sites – Wike

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says his constant monitoring of ongoing projects in the territory, Abuja, is to keep contractors on their toes.

    Wike stated this in Abuja on Monday, after inspecting ongoing road projects in Guzape and the full-scale development of arterial road ‘N20′ at Jahi District.

    The N20 begins from Northern Parkway (Shehu Musa Yar’adua Expressway) to the Outer Northern Expressway (Murtala Mohammed Expressway).

    The minister explained that his constant and unscheduled visit to project sites was to ensure that the contractors deliver on agreed time and with expected quality.

    He said that the contractors had promised to deliver most of the projects by May, adding that he was on their toes to ensure that they deliver as promised.

    “We make sure that we go round to see the commitments made by the various contractors and to see whether they are going to fulfill the promises they had made.

    “On Saturday, we also had this kind of inspection, and today, we went to Guzape, the diplomatic zone and now we are on N20 road.

    “The last time I came here, the work was not up to this extent, and I am very much impressed with what I have seen.

    “This shows that God willing, by May, they will hand over these projects to us and then we will hand them over to the public,” he said.

  • Hardship: Parents shun noodles as price soars

    Hardship: Parents shun noodles as price soars

    Some parents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Friday said they have cut off noodles from their household menu as the price of the commodity continues to increase.

    The parents said this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Friday.

    They said that their children’s favorite fast food was becoming unaffordable, hence the need for them to look for an alternative.

    Hajiya Hauwa Bakari, a mother and a teacher, said that she used to prepare noodles for her children to take to school every Friday and to Islamic school on Sundays.

    Bakari, however, said that the recent increase in the price of the item had made her change to other available food in the house.

    “The last carton we bought before the present increase was N6, 000, for indomie noodles.

    “By the time I went to get the same item after two weeks, it had increased to N8, 400.

    “Now I learnt that the price is N18, 000 and above for the medium size of indomie noodles, while minimie noodles is N16, 000.

    “I know it is one of my children’s favourite foods but with the way things are going, I cannot afford it so they have to eat whatever is available at home,’’ she said.

    Bakari said that noodles have become a luxury for the ordinary Nigerian.

    Mrs Kemi Samuel, a mother of four, said that she has decided to cut off noodles from her list of groceries, because it now looks like a waste of resources and unnecessary.

    Samuel said that she would rather buy and cook more spaghetti with enough vegetables for the family, rather than using so much money on noodles that digests in no time.

    She said that the decision was timely, since her children depended too much on noodles as it was easy to make.

    Miss Rose Yakubu, a student, however, said that the high cost of noodles would not deter her from eating it.

    Yakubu said that she liked the food, not because it is easy and fast to prepare, but because it saves her from buying other food ingredients to cook a proper meal.

    “ If I have to cook rice for instance, I will have to buy oil, meat or fish, seasoning and vegetables, which I may not have enough money for,’’ she said.

    A shop owner, Mr Shefiyu Abubakar, said that not many people can afford to buy noodles from his shop anymore.

    He attributed this to the increase in the price of the commodity and the fact that many would prefer to buy other foodstuffs.

    Abubakar said that the price for the hungry man indomie pack is between N18, 000 to N19, 000 per carton, while the smallest size sells for N10, 500.

    “These prices were far lower in January and suddenly increased because of the inflation in the country.

    “It is our  prayers that the prices of food go down soonest else, many may not be able to afford a meal per day,” Abubakar said.

     

  • AEDC reveals cause of power outage in parts of FCT

    AEDC reveals cause of power outage in parts of FCT

    The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), has attributed the power outage experienced in some parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to its faulty 33kV NIPP feeder.

    The management of AEDC in a statement on its official X handle on Wednesday said that the power outage was also due to repairs on the transmission station at AT4.

    “The management of AEDC wishes to notify its esteemed customers in Abuja that the power outage being experienced is due to a fault affecting the 33kV NIPP feeder.

    “Repairs on the transmission station at AT4 are ongoing,” it said.

    The company listed the areas affected to include, Dantata Estate, FO1, Chikakore, Byazin, Byazin Across, Gbazango, Guida Community, Military Pension Board and its environs.

    “While we regret the inconvenience caused by the power outage, please be assured that all relevant stakeholders are working to ensure power supply is restored soonest,’’ it said.

  • No criminal element can threaten Bwari again, FCT Police CP assures

    No criminal element can threaten Bwari again, FCT Police CP assures

    The Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, Benneth Igweh has assured the people of Bwari Area Council Especially students and staff of Veritas University, Bwari-Abuja that the Police command has massively deployed men and materials in the troubled area council that “no criminal element can threaten the people of the area again”.

    The Commissioner of police gave the assurance when the Vice Chancellor of the University paid a courtesy Visit on him in his office in Abuja.
    Bwari Area council has been in the news in the last two months as result of activities of kidnappers. Five daughters from one family were kidnapped from the area last December with one of the daughters killed by the kidnappers when her parents could not raise the ransom money on time.

    But speaking with the Vice Chancellor of Veritas University, the Commissioner of Police said the ugly incidence of the recent past will never repeat itself again as long as he remains the commissioner of police in the FCT.

    “I owe Veritas University protection and we will provide that. There is no other place that we have done massive deployment like we have done in Bwari because of the uniqueness of that place. Apart from bordering Kaduna and Niger states, there are about four intuitions of higher learning there and a federal government secondary school. But I can assure you that there is no force that can enter Bwari and threaten the people again” he said.
    As part of the deployment of men and materials in the Bwari axis, the Commissioner of police said the FCT police command will create a base in Ushafa that will support the deployment in Bwari.

    “I am happy to announce that the people that ran away from their ancestral homes in Bwari villages and those that left Bwari town have returned to Bwari now.

    We are not interested in fantasies. We are doing real policing. Tell your staff and students that they are in safe hands” the police boss said.
    He commended the Vice Chancellor of Veritas University for assisting the Bwari Divisional Police Office and encourage him to do more.

    Earlier in his speech, the Vice Chancellor of Veritas University, Rev. Fr Professor Hyacinth Ichoku thanked the commissioner of Police for the massive deployment of men and materials around the Veritas University.

    He enjoined the Commissioner of police to look into vast areas and communities around the university that do not have police presence with a view to creating police station that would serve as a buffer between the communities in Bwari and the forests in Kaduna state.
    The Vice Chancellor pledged the University’s continued logistics support to the police and other security agencies in Bwari, noting that “it is better to support the police to do their job of protecting us than paying ransom to kidnappers”

  • Court rejects suit seeking to stop FCT CJ from appointing 12 judges

    Court rejects suit seeking to stop FCT CJ from appointing 12 judges

    A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, rejected a suit seeking to stop the Chief Judge of FCT High Court, Hussein Baba-Yusuf, from appointing 12 judges into the bench of the court.

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling on the ex-parte motion moved by Emmanuel Emerenini, rather directed the plaintiff, Azubuike Oko, to put the defendants on notice of the motion ex-parte within 2 days of the order.

    Justice Ekwo also ordered Oko, a legal practitioner, to serve the defendants with all processes filed in the suit within two days of the order for the defendants to show cause why the prayers on the motion ought not to be granted in the next adjourned date.

    The judge, however, made an order for accelerated hearing and adjourned the matter until March 4.

    The plaintiff, in the ex-parte motion marked: FHC)ABJ/CS/205/2024, had sued Baba-Yusuf, National Judicial Council (NJC) and Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) as 1st to 3rd defendants.

    Also joined in the suit dated and filed on Feb. 16 by Nkemakolam Okoro are the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), President of Nigeria and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as 4th to 6th defendants respectively.

    The plaintiff sought an order directing the parties in the suit to maintain status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of his motion on notice.

    In the affidavit deposed to by Christiana Dominic, Litigation Assistant in Okoro’s law firm, she described Oko as a taxpayer, a voter and a lawyer with over 19 years of experience in legal practice.

    She said Oko hails from Ebonyi, which had been routinely excluded and marginalised with respect to the appointment of judges of the High Court of FCT by Baba-Yusuf, NJC and FJSC.

    The lawyer averred that, as a matter of fact, it was the CJ (Baba-Yusuf) that computes the names of qualified lawyers from selected states of the federation and transmitted to FJSC for recommendation to NJC for appointment by the President of Nigeria,as judges of the FCT High Court.

    Dominic said based on the information from the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), the states mentioned for nomination of lawyers for appointment as judges of thee court into the 12 positions were Bauchi, Bayelsa, Enugu, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Taraba, and Zamfara.

    She averred that currently, Oyo and Kogji “already had two serving judges in the FCT High Court, and the two states were given additional slots, to now have three judges, despite the fact that Ebonyi State has no single serving judge in the High Court of the FCT.”

    The lawyer prayed the court to grant their motion in the interest of justice.