Kogi Asks Supreme Court to Nullify Reps’ Take-over of State Assembly

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

The crisis in the Kogi State House of Assembly which was unsealed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, after it was sealed by the House of Representatives took another twist as Kogi State Government has dragged the AGF and the National Assembly before the Supreme Court.

The state is seeking an order to nullify the resolution by the House of Reps to take over the legislative functions of the Kogi legislature.

The Kogi State Government represented by its Attorney-General and the House of Assembly, under Order 3 Rule 5 of the apex court filed the suit on April 29, 2016 at the Supreme Court challenging the House of Reps’ resolution take over the Assembly.

While the National Assembly is first defendant in the suit, the AGF is the second,.

The plaintiffs in the suit with number, SC.340/2016, are asking the Supreme Court to declare that the House of Representatives’ resolution was passed in breach of Section 11(4) of the Constitution.

They also urged the apex court to nullify the resolution, while contending in their statement of claim that “the factional disagreement” between members of the House of Assembly was normal in a democracy.

The plaintiffs stated that the crisis started on February 16, 2016, following a disagreement between two factions in the House of Assembly over the Speakership position.

They claimed that following the disagreement, a faction of the members of the House of Assembly‎ filed a suit, FHC/LKJ/CS/16/16 (Kogi State House of Assembly & 3 Ors V National Assembly & 2 Ors.

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