Controversies have continued to trail the appointment of Ahmed Rufai Abubakar as the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) as Deji Adeyanju, acting for Concerned Nigerians, has dragged President Muhammadu Buhari, Abubakar and the Attorney-General of the Federation to court seeking for an order to remove the NIA DG.

In a suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja dated January 19, 2018, the plaintiff seeks the defendants to appear in court to defend their actions.

The process raised two questions for determination which are: “Whether by the provisions of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) the first defendant (President Buhari) can appoint the second defendant who is from Katsina State as Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency when the Director General, State Security Services, Lawal Musa Daura is also from Katsina State.

“Whether by the provision of Section 2(3) of the National Security Agencies Act, the second defendant (Abubakar) is a fit and proper person to be appointed as Director General of the National Intelligence Agency.”

Adeyanju further prayed for two declarative reliefs and two orders from the court. He sought for “a declaration that by the provisions of Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the first defendant (Buhari) cannot appoint the second defendant (Abubakar), who is from Katsina State, as Director General of the National Intelligence Agency when the Director General of the State Security Services, Lawal Musa Daura is also from Katsina State.

“A declaration that by the provisions of Section 2(3) of the National Security Agencies Act, the second Defendant is not a fit and proper person to be appointed as Director General of the National Intelligence Agency”.

Adeyanju prayed for an order of court to remove Abubakar as NIA Director General, in addition to an order for a perpetual injunction restraining Buhari, whether by himself, his office, agents, servants or privies or otherwise, howsoever from further appointing Abubakar as NIA Director General and further such orders as the court may deem fit in the circumstance.

There had been disenchantment over the appointment of Abubakar, who, some alleged, did not pass some promotional examinations and therefore was not a proper and fit person to hold such an exalted office.

Others also kicked against the appointment, decrying it as clannishness pushed too far.

No date has been fixed for the hearing on the suit. (THISDAY)

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