A civil society group, Concerned
Nigerians, has dragged President Muhammadu Buhari to the Federal High Court in
Abuja over the appointment of Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar as the substantive Director
General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
The appointment is being
criticised as Abubakar was said to been forced out of NIA for allegedly failing
two promotion exams.
Abubakar was the Arabic and
French interpreter to President Buhari.
The
originating summons of the suit with number FHC/ABJ/CS/56/2018, was filed by
Barrister Michael Ukasare and Arinze Solomon Egbo on behalf of the plaintiff,
Deji Adeyanju for Concerned Nigerians.
President Federal Republic of
Nigeria, Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar (Director General of the National Intelligence
Agency) and the Attorney General of the Federation, are to appear as the first,
second and third defendants.
The summon was brought under
Order 3 Rule 6 and 7 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2009.
The summon was brought for the
determination of the following questions:
1) Whether by the provisions of
Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution, if the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As
amended), the 1st defendant (Buhari) has the power to appoint the 2nd defendant
(Abubakar) as director general of the National Intelligence Agency when the
director general of the of State Security Services, Lawal Musa Daura, is also
from Katsina State.
2) Whether by the provisions of
section 2(3) of the National Security Agencies Act, the 2nd defendant
(Abubakar) is a fit and proper person to be appointed as director general of
the National Intelligence Agency.
The civil society, therefore,
sought the following reliefs from the court:
1) A declaration that by the
provision of section 14 (3) if the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria (as amended), the first defendant (Buhari) CANNOT appoint the second
defendant (Abubakar) who is from Katsina State, as director general of the NIA,
when the director general of the State Security Services, Lawal Daura, is also
from Katsina State.
2) A declaration that by the
provisions of section 2 (3) of the Security Agencies Act, the second defendant
(Abubakar) is NOT a fit and proper person to be appointed as director general
of NIA.
3) And Order removing the second
defendant (Abubakar) as the director general of the NIA.
4) An order of perpetual
injunction restraining the first defendant (Buhari) Whether by himself, his
officers, his agents, servants, privies or otherwise howsoever from further
appointing the second defendant (Abubakar) as the director general of NIA.
5) And such further or other
orders as the honorable court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this
application.
Meanwhile, government critics are
accusing Buhari of nepotism, lamenting that majority of appointments within the
security circle are concentrated in northern Nigeria.
See list below…
1. Chief of Army Staff, General
Tukur Buratai, Borno
2. Chief of Air Staff Abubakar
Sadiq, Bauchi
3. Director General of DSS, Lawal
Daura, Katsina
4. Director General of NIA,
Rufa’i Abubakar, Katsina
5. Inspector General of Police,
Ibrahim Idris, Niger
6. Commandant General of Civil
Defence Corp, Abdullahi Muhammad, Niger
7. Comptroller General of
Immigration, Muhammed Babandede, Jigawa
8. Comptroller General of Prison
Services, Ja’faru Ahmed, Kebbi
9. Comptroller General of
Customs, Hameed Ali, Bauchi
10. Minister of Defence, Mansur
DanAli, Zamfara
11. Minister of Internal Affairs,
AbdulRahman Dambazau, Kano
12. Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim
Magu, Borno
13. National Security Adviser,
Muhammed Monguno, Borno
14. Chief of Defence Intelligence
Agency, Muhammad Usman, Kano
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayAdvertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
Is that not a change that good people of Nigeria deserves?
ReplyDelete