Awomolo Leads 11 Lawyers In Court To Block Move By Kogi House Of Assembly To Remove Chief Judge, Nasir Ajanah

The Judiciary in Kogi State has approached the State High Court sitting in Koton-Karfe seeking nullification of the April 2, resolution of Kogi House of Assembly recommending the removal of the Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah.

The motion was filed by Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, leading 11 other lawyers including five Senior Advocates of Nigeria on behalf of the claimants/applicants, Justice Ajanah and Chief Registrar of the state High Court, Alhaji Yahaya Adamu.

Naija News recalls that Awomolo was of the counsel that defended the retired CJN, Walter Onnoghen in the false declaration of assets case filed against him by the Federal government.

Awomolo said the Motion Notice (Motion NO. HC/KK02M/201) was brought pursuant to Order 11, Rules 1 and 2 of Kogi State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2006 to counter the action of the Assembly in defying the court order in the impasse between the Legislature and the Executive arms.

The motion by Kogi House of Assembly was made by Speaker of the House; Bello Abdullahi, chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee; Gov. Yahaya Bello and the Attorney-General of Kogi.

The claimants/applicants in the motion contended that the House of Assembly defied the pendency of Suit NO. HC/KK/11CV/2018 and the interim injunctive Orders of the Court to have sat and issued a resolution in respect of the matter.

They sought for an order of the court nullifying and setting aside the resolution purportedly passed by the House at its plenary sitting of 2nd April, 2019 in defiance of the pendency of the suit.

The action of the Legislative Assembly also defied the interim injunctive Orders of Court by acting upon a report submitted to it by its Public Accounts Committee and resolving that:

i)”The Chief Judge of Kogi State (the 1st Claimant/Applicant herein) be removed for alleged gross misconduct, and

ii) That the Chief Registrar of Kogi State High Court (2nd Claimant/Applicant herein) should be referred to the Kogi State Judicial Service Commission for disciplinary action for misconduct.”

The motion was on the grounds that the purported resolution of the 1st-3rd defendants was made during the pendency of this suit and a subsisting order of this Court restraining the defendants from taking any steps In respect of the substantive matter.

The motion also held that orders of court were meant to be obeyed by parties adding that the said resolution of the 1st – 3rd defendants violated the said Order of the court and amounted therefore, “to self help which is deprecated by the law.”

It also argued that the said resolution having been mede during the pendency of the suit and a subsisting order of the Court, was a nullity under the Law and ought to be set aside.

The High Court presided over by Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, adjourned the matter until April 12.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the motion was supported with a 15-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Alhaji Yahaya Adamu, the Chief Registrar and also one of the claimants/applicants.

According to Adamu the court had on Dec, 12, 2018, restrained the defendants themselves, their agents or privies from acting or threatening to act or interfere in any way detrimental to the claimants in the discharge of their duties as Chief Judge and Chief Registrar.