Wendy R. 
A Federal High Court in Kaduna State has reserved judgment in the suit filed by the immediate-past governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai, seeking the nullification of the report of the ad-hoc committee of the state assembly.
The assembly had indicted the former governor’s administration in an alleged N423bn fraud.
The court adjourned to July 17 for a hearing in a suit instituted by the former governor against the State House of Assembly and the Attorney General of the State.
El-Rufai had urged the court to quash the report of the assembly.
In a suit filed by his lawyer, Abdulhakeem Mustapha, the former governor had said the assembly breached his right to a fair hearing by not inviting him in the course of the probe.
He urged the court to declare the report of the assembly’s ad hoc committee indicting him null and void.
However, during the court session on Thursday, all respondents adopted their respective processes and prayed the court to dismiss the suit.
Counsel for the assembly, Femi Falana, SAN, argued that the court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate on the fundamental rights case filed by El-Rufai or dismiss the report of the assembly based on its constitutional mandate.
On his part, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Justice, Sule Shuaibu SAN, and also a respondent in the suit, filed his preliminary and substantive objections, that the court should dismiss the case on the premise that the court lacks jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter.
Shuaibu also asked the court to dismiss the substantial suit for lack of cause of action against the Attorney General and for being speculative.
Both respondents further argued that the applicants did not bring the report of the Kaduna State House of Assembly before the Court which they sought the court to declare as unconstitutional, null, and void.
Therefore, they prayed that the court dismiss the suit in its entirety for lacking in merit.
The counsel to El-Rufai was not present in court.
However, after listening to the lawyers in the suit, the presiding judge, Justice RM Aikawa, said a date for judgment would be communicated to the parties involved.
Recall that an ad-hoc committee was set up by the state assembly to investigate all finances, loans, and contracts awarded under El-Rufai’s administration.
The assembly, while adopting the report of the 13-man panel, asked the state governor to refer El-Rufai, his finance commissioner, and other aides to relevant security agencies for investigation.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission subsequently set up a panel to investigate the alleged fraud.
punchng.com
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