LAGOS, Federal Republic of Nigeria. A Lagos-based lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has approached a Federal High Court in Lagos with a suit seeking an order compelling President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint ministers or cease to be president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In the suit filed on Monday, the human rights lawyer said the continued stay of action of President Buhari on the appointment of his ministers was contrary to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Adegboruwa wants the court to order the president to forthwith appoint qualified persons as ministers in compliance with Section 147 and 14(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as well as an order directing President Buhari to appoint a qualified person into the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
He is also seeking a court order retraining the president from, “functioning or from continuing to function or further functioning in office as or from performing or continuing to perform the duties of office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, without ministers duly appointed or the Federal Executive Council duly constituted.”
Adegboruwa further accused Buhari of running the affairs of Nigeria as lone ranger as well as in a dictatorial manner.
The lawyer is praying the court to determine, “Whether under and by virtue of section 147(1) and (2) of the Constitution, the 1st Respondent (Buhari) is not obliged and under a duty to appoint qualified persons into offices to function as the ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, upon his swearing in and oath of office since May 29, 2015.
“Whether the failure, omission or neglect by the 1st respondent to appoint qualified persons into offices to function as the ministers is not illegal and a contravention of the constitution, such as to disqualify the first respondent from continuing to function in office as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Whether the first respondent is entitled to run and administer the affairs of the country as his personal family empire or as a lone ranger and in a dictatorial manner, without appointing qualified persons to run the affairs of the country with.”
Credit: Tribune (Nigeria)
