The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar
Malami, SAN, on Thursday, opposed the prayer by the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) to join a suit filed by the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),
Godwin Emefiele, over his presidential ambition.
The AGF also opposed a motion seeking to join two lawyers; John
Aikpokpo-Martins and Olakunle Edun, on behalf of themselves and the Save
Nigeria Our Fatherland, a group, before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of a Federal
High Court, Abuja.
Although counsel for Emefiele, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, and
lawyer to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), T.M. Inuwa,
SAN, did not oppose the two applications, counsel for the AGF, Oladipe Opeseyi,
SAN, objected to the move.
After an argument that lasted for about two hours, Justice
Mohammed stood down the matter for ruling.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Emefiele,
through his lawyer, had, on Monday, approached the court with an ex-parte
motion, seeking the court’s interpretation as to whether he could run for the
2023 presidential primary while he holds office as Governor of CBN.
He had sought an order of the court, restraining the Federal
Government from removing him from office over his presidential ambition,
pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter.
He also prayed the court to stop the INEC from taking any
action against him in the bid to contest in the presidential primary by virtue
of his office.
The CBN governor made the prayers in an ex-parte motion
dated and filed on May 9 by Ozekhome, seeking an order of maintenance of status
quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
But in his ruling, Justice Mohammed did not grant the
motion.
Rather, he adjourned the matter until May 12 (today) for
ruling.
The judge then made an order directing the INEC and AGF to
appear today by noon over why Emefiele’s prayers should not be granted.
He ordered that all the applications, including the
ex-parte, filed in the course of the matter be served on all the defendants.
He also directed that hearing notices be issued to the
defendants to appear on the said date to show cause why the prayers should not
be granted.
As of the time of filing this report, the judge is yet to
deliver the ruling on whether the PDP and the group should be joined in the
suit.
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