Alex Enumah
The Federal High Court Abuja yesterday fixed June 23 for the hearing of the suit instituted by the South-Eastern group, Alaigbo Development Foundation, against the National Judicial Commission (NJC) over the appointment of judges to the Court of Appeal.
In suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/347/21, the Incorporated Trustees of the foundation sued the NJC, Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), President of the Court of Appeal, Federal Character Commission (FCC), and the Attorney-General of the Federation as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
The group asked the court, in its originating summons, to determine whether the defendants can disregard the principle of fairness, due process, and federal character in the appointment of judges to the Court of Appeal, with regards to the South-East Zone of Nigeria.
It also asked the court to determine whether the South-east was not entitled to three slots in the ongoing appointment of judges to the Court of Appeal to fill up the vacancies that were caused by the elevation, retirement, and death of the three justices of the Court of Appeal from the zone.
The group prayed the court to declare the actions of the NJC, FJSC, and the President of the Court of Appeal as unjustifiable and unconstitutional for only allocating one slot to the South-east.
It also prayed the court to declare that the zone was entitled to three slots in the ongoing appointment exercise and restrain the defendants from continuing with the exercise until the South-east is accorded their rightful slots
When the matter came up for mention yesterday, Justice Inyang Ekwo, stated that he had ordered for accelerated hearing of the case at the previous proceeding and had ordered the plaintiff to serve the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th defendants whose proof of service were not in the court’s file.
