The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday adjourned to October 19 a suit challenging the Federal Government’s alleged marginalisation of Lagos State indigenes in appointments to public offices and career positions.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa fixed the date for parties to file their pleadings after ruling on the objections raised by the respondents in the suit.
The plaintiffs in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1465/2020 are Yakubu Eleto, Adeyemi Onikoro, Shittu Akeem, Nurudeen Argegbeshola (all lawyers), Chief Muhammed Jamiu, Madam Titilayo Ogun and Gbenga Agoro, who sued for themselves and on behalf of Lagosians Advocacy Group (LAG).
The defendants are President Muhammadu Buhari, Federal Character Commission (FCC), Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Senate, Lagos State Governor, Lagos Attorney-General, Lagos House of Assembly and the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC).
Others are the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Head of Service of the Federation, Federal Civil Service Commission, Lagos Head of Service, Lagos Civil Service Commission, as well as state Local Governments, House of Assembly, Judicial, Teaching, and Health service commissions.
The plaintiffs, in their originating summons, are praying for a declaration that under sections 13 and 14 (3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Paragraph 8, Part 1 of the 3rd Schedule, and sections 4 and 5 of the Federal Character Commission Act 2010, the President and the Senate are obliged to appoint and confirm persons “who are the best and competent indigenes of Lagos State to fill political public offices and career posts or positions reserved for indigenes of Lagos State in the government and public service of the federation”.
They prayed for a declaration that the appointment of a person who is not an indigene of Lagos into public office and career post reserved for indigenes of Lagos breaches the constitutional provisions and is, therefore, unlawful and null, and void.
Credit : THE NATION.
