…fault reappointment of Prof Oba as FCC chairman

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

ABUJA – Over 500 youths under the aegis of Unemployed Youths Association of Nigeria, UYAN, yesterday, went before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, asking it to invoke its original jurisdiction and sack the re-instated Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Prof Shuaibu Oba Abdulraheem from office, citing alleged breach of section 154 and 155 of the 1999 Constitution.

In an originating summons filed by their lawyer, Mr Ugochukwu Ezekiel, the plaintiffs specifically sought “a declaration that by the provision of section 154 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and section 2 of the Federal Character Commission (Establishment Act), Cap. F7 LFN, 2004, President Goodluck Jonathan and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ayim Pius Ayim, cannot validly appoint the 5th defendant, Prof Oba, without confirmation or approval by the Senate.”

Listed as defendants in the suit were President Jonathan, SGF, Attorney General of the Federation, Federal Character Commission, Prof Shuaibu Oba Abdulraheem, and Alhaji Mohammed Ari Gwaska, as the 1st to 6th defendants respectively.

Canvassing their reasons through an affidavit deposed to by the 1st plaintiff in the matter, Comrade Hassan Isah, the group, contended that the 5th defendant, Prof Oba, had on December 13, 2010, resigned his position as the  chairman of the Commission with a view to contesting a political position in Kwara State.

The plaintiffs told the court that, “on January 5th, 2011, the 1st and 2nd defendants, wrote a letter accepting the resignation of the 5th defendant and directing that the said resignation should take effect from January 3rd, 2011 and that the 5th defendant should hand over to the 6th defendant, Gwaska, as the Acting Chairman of the commission.

Consequently, they urged the court to intervene and stop the alleged illegal re-appointment of the 5th defendant, contending that his return to the Federal Character Commission will further worsen alleged disparity in the distribution of jobs across the 36 states of the Federation.