A lawyer, Daniel Makolo, has sued President Muhammadu Buhari
for allegedly failing to appoint a minister to represent Kogi in his cabinet.
Makolo said his suit – FHC\L\CS\44\2016, filed at the
Federal High Court, Lokoja on Thursday – was pursuant to Order 34 Rule (1) and
Order 5 Rule (1) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2009.
He faulted Buhari for failing to appoint a replacement for
the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi, who was from
the state.
Ocholi, his wife and son, died in an auto crash on
Abuja-Kaduna Road on March 6.
Makolo, among other things, urged the court to order that
the failure of Buhari to appoint a qualified indigene of Kogi as a Minister
after Ocholi’s death was “wrongful, unlawful and unconstitutional.”
He said that failure to appoint a minister from Kogi “has
denied the people of Kogi state representation at the statutory mandatory
regular meetings held by the president with his vice and ministers”.
The lawyer asked the court to issue an order compelling the
president to appoint a minister representing the people of Kogi.
Makolo also asked the court to declare every decision or
resolution reached at statutory meeting(s) held as void to the extent of its
effect on the life and property of the people of Kogi.
He further asked the court to void the resolution reached at
subsequent meeting to be held by the president and his cabinet without a
representative of Kogi People,
He also asked for an order compelling the president to
respect and apply Section 14 (3) of the Constitution in all his appointments.
This, according to him, is inclusive of the heads of
coercive forces of the sovereignty of Nigeria, the paramilitary agencies, and
all arm-bearing institutions of Nigeria.
In addition, the applicant sought an order directing the
Attorney-General of the Federation to initiate and carry out a corona inquest
into the Sunday, March 6, death of Ocholi on Kaduna-Abuja road to uncover and
make public the actual and remote causes of the accident.
Makolo said that he based his action on 14 grounds in the
Motion on Notice, supported by a 24-paragraph affidavit.
He said that appointment of a minister to represent each of
the 36 federating states was not optional but also the responsibility of the
president.
“This is not an optional responsibility; it is mandatory
which our beloved President has deliberately failed, neglected or refused to do
in respect of Kogi State and her people.”
Joined in the suit were the President of the Senate and the
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
NAN
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