apply to the Federal High Court Abuja for a stay of execution of its ruling
against the appointment of service chiefs which it claimed was made without the
approval of the National Assembly. The presidency also expressed its intention
to appeal the judgement.
Justice Adamu Bello of a Federal High Court Abuja on Monday while ruling in a
suit filed by a Lagos attorney, Festus Keyamo voided the appointment of the
nation’s three Service Chiefs and stopped the President from appointing service
chiefs without the approval of the Senate.
President Goodluck Jonathan, in a swift reaction, reportedly disclosed that the
Federal Government would make known its position after obtaining a copy of the
verdict and on the advice of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of
the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN).
Speaking through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati,
said, “No serious person will comment on a ruling he has not seen. We are yet
to see a copy of the ruling. By the time we receive it; the Ministry of Justice
will study it and advise the President accordingly”.
Since the case was instituted during the era of the late President, Umaru Yar’
Adua, all those that were directly affected had ceased to be in office but no
doubt, the verdict is binding on the President especially when next he is
appointing new service chiefs.
A presidency source said that it would be dangerous for the President to rush
the names of the incumbent service chiefs to the National Assembly for approval
because the Senate could not be compelled to approve all the names sent by the
Presidency. And this could constitute a threat to the security of the country.
“I read the judgement on the pages of newspapers this morning (yesterday) and I
was taken aback that a case instituted in 2008 had been pending before the
Federal High Court until this week. Justice delayed is justice denied, as they
say. Those who were in the office when the case was instituted are no more
there and we don’t even know what (Barrister) Festus Keyamo was after, for
example, if he did not want a particular officer that ruling has failed.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives, yesterday, resolved to investigate the
Amendment of the Armed Forces Act through the revision of the Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004.
Rep Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi, who moved the motion highlighted the alleged breach
of the constitution in the appointment of Service Chiefs and said that “Section
4(1) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 provided that the
Legislative Powers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be vested in the
National Assembly which shall consist of a Senate and a House of
Representatives.
