TheCable

Daniel Makolo, a lawyer, has sued President Muhammadu Buhari for allegedly failing to appoint a minister to represent Kogi in his cabinet.

Makolo said his suit – FHC\L\CS\44\2016, filed at the Federal High Court, Lokoja on Thursday – was pursuant to order 34 Rule (1) and Order 5 Rule (1) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2009.

He faulted Buhari for failing to appoint a replacement for James Ocholi, who died alongside his wife and son, in a road crash on Abuja-Kaduna road on March 6.

Makolo urged the court to order that Buhari’s failure to appoint a qualified Kogi indigene as a minister after Ocholi’s death was “wrongful, unlawful and unconstitutional”.

He said failure to appoint a minister from Kogi “has denied the people of Kogi state representation at the statutory mandatory regular meetings held by the president with his vice and ministers”.

The lawyer asked the court to issue an order compelling the president to appoint a minister representing the people of Kogi.

Makolo also asked the court to declare every decision or resolution reached at statutory meeting(s) held as void to the extent of its effect on the life and property of the people of Kogi.

He further asked the court to void the resolution reached at subsequent meeting to be held by the president and his cabinet without a representative of Kogi people, and also asked for an order compelling the president to respect and apply section 14 (3) of the constitution in all his appointments.

This, according to him, is inclusive of the heads of coercive forces of the sovereignty of Nigeria, the paramilitary agencies, and all arm-bearing institutions of Nigeria.

Joined in the suit were the minister of justice and senate president.