President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and five others have been dragged to the Federal High Court in Abuja for re-appointing Dr Vincent Isegbe, the current Comptroller General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS).
Grassroots Accountability Advocacy Foundation and League for Social Justice, two civil society organisations (CSOs), who are the plaintiffs in the suit registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, to champion and engender transparency in government to uphold the tenets of rule of law and good governance in Nigeria.
The suit, which was instituted via an originating summons, was filed by Maduabuchi O. Idam Esq on behalf of the plaintiffs at the Federal High Court in the Abuja Judicial Division in suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/893/2024 and dated July 02, 2024.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Dr Vincent Isegbe and the National Assembly, were Joined as co-defendants in the suit.
In a written address in support of the originating summons, the plaintiffs asked the court to determine seven questions while also seeking some reliefs.
Among others, they are seeking for a Declaration that by the combined effect of Sections 10(2) and (5) of the Agricultural Quarantine Service Establishment Act 2018, Section 9 Regulation O20908 (i) and (ii) and Regulation 020909 of the Public Service Rules, 2021 the 5th Defendant is not qualified to be re-appointed as the Director General/Comptroller General of the 4th Defendant having retired from service on the 26th day of March 2021 and also exited from the Office of the Director General/Comptroller General of the 4th Defendant on the 13th day of December 2023 following the expiration of his total nine (9) years’ tenure as the Director General/Comptroller General of the 4th Defendant.
“A Declaration that the 1st Defendant lacks the power to appoint an individual such as the 5th Defendant who is not in service, within the contemplation of the provisions of Sections 10(2) and (5) of the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service Establishment Act, 2018 to head the 4th Defendant as Director General/Comptroller General.
They also sought an Order setting aside and nullifying the re-appointment of the 5th Defendant as the Director General/Comptroller General of the Fourth Defendant.
“An Order directing the 5th Defendant to forthwith vacate the office of the 4th Defendant having retired as a public Servant since 2021 and also exhausted the total of nine (9) years’ tenure in office as Director General/Comptroller General of the 4th Defendant.
Hearing on the substantive suit is yet to get a date.