Comrade Deji Adeyanju and Chief Dr. Patrick Eholor suit against President Muhammadu Buhari, INEC and Prof Rhoda Gumus slated for ruling on 16th December 2022.
The above suit is over Professor Rhoda Gumus’ alleged membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which is the ruling party and her subsequent appointment by President Buhari as an INEC commissioner.
The above suit, filed at Abuja division of Federal High Court, in Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS /234/2022, has the President of Nigeria, Attorney General of the Federation, INEC, Senate President and Prof Rhoda Gumus and was filed by Abuja based Human Rights lawyer, Samuel Ihensekhien Jnr on behalf of Deji Adeyanju and Chief Dr. Patrick Eholor and the suit is seeking for 5 distinct reliefs and other ancillary/mandatory consequential injunctions in this regard.
Recall that a few month ago, President Muhammadu Buhari conveyed the name of Professor Rhoda Gumus to the Nigeria Senate for confirmation as an INEC commissioner.
However, the above case is adjourned for 16th December 2022, after the honourable court took submissions and arguments on the preliminary objections filed by lawyers for the AGF and Nigeria President today. Samuel Ihensekhien jnr, lead counsel to Chief Dr. Patrick Eholor and concerned Nigeria group headed by Adeyanju Deji, urged the court to pay a close look at the decision of supreme court in Gani Fawehinmi/FRN and Gani Fawehinmi/Akilu cases and hold once a case has triable issues from statement of claim and person has justiciable interest in a suit, then he has locus. He then urged the court to strike the frivolous application by AGF and President with cost of Five hundred thousand each against them.
Before now, Deji Adeyanju of concerned Nigeria group has questioned the rationale for the appiontment of Prof. Rhoda Gumus, though he recognised Prof. Gumus professional capabilities.
Adeyanju stated that the nomination and consequent swearing in of Prof. Rhoda Gumus and mostly her swearing in by President Buhari nomination runs contrary to the provisions of Paragraph 14 of Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution as amended and Section 30 of the electoral Act, which prohibits the appointment of a member of a political party as an Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Commissioner.
Deji Adeyanju in a letter to National assembly, “Noted that precisely on March 27, 2021, Prof. Rhoda Gumus registered as a card carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as evidenced in the said letter from Deji Adeyanju concerned Nigerian group and addressed to the Senate of Nigeria, in other to halt Prof. Rhoda Gumus appointment as INEC commissioner.
