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NASS LEADERSHIP: Group drags APC to court for excluding South-East

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Adams Oshiomole

The All Progressive Congress (APc) has been dragged to court over its failure to consider the South East region in the leadership arrangement for the 9th National Assembly.

The ruling party, on Thursday, was dragged to an Abuja High court by an advocacy group under the aegis of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International.

The group challenged the decision of the APC, to zone the leadership of the National Assembly without considering the South East region.

In its suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/477/2019, the group, with a member of the APC, Hon. Kenneth Uzochukwu who was cited as the 2nd Plaintiff posed three legal questions for the determination of the court, even as they equally sought for six declarations.

Read also: NASS LEADERSHIP: Group seeks to nullify APC zoning arrangements in new suit

In the case, APC, the National Assembly and the Federal Character Commission were cited as defendants.

The Plaintiffs, through their lawyer, Mr. Okere Nnamdi, are praying the court to determine; “Whether the 1st Defendant (APC), can ignore the express provisions of Section 224 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in zoning/determining which of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria (recognized in the Federal Character Establishment Act) produces the presiding and principal officers of the 9th National Assembly comprising of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“Whether the decision of the 1st defendant to zone/cede the office of the Senate President to the North East, Deputy Senate President to South-South; and Speaker of the House of Representatives to the Southwest and Deputy Speaker to North Central and thereby totally excluding/obliterating/annihilating the Southeast geo-political zone in the political arithmetic of Nigeria, particularly in the 9th National Assembly breaches the express provisions, spirit and tenor of sections 14 (3) and (4) and 244 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended); and complies with the Federal Character principle of Nigeria”.

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