Court Urged To Penalise Ex-AGF, Aondoakaa For Allegedly Disobeying Supreme Court

The Federal High Court in Abuja has been urged to penalise former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), over his participation in the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State despite a Supreme Court judgment allegedly barring him from further occupying public office.

The request forms part of the reliefs being sought in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/770/2022 filed by a group – The Centre for Social Justice Equity and Transparency (CSJT).

The plaintiff is contending among others, that by participating in APC primary with the intention of becoming Benue State governor, Aondoakaa was in violation and contempt of the judgment given by the Supreme Court on December 10, 2021.

Listed, with Aondoakaa as defendants in the suit filed on June 2, 2022 by plaintiff’s lawyer, F.S. Jimba, are the APC and the National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The plaintiff stated in a supporting affidavit that notwithstanding the December 10, 2022 Supreme Court judgment and “in clear violation and contempt of the said judgment, the 1st defendant (Aondoakaa) purchased the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms of the 2nd defendant to contest in the primary election for the purpose of electing the candidate of the 2nd defendant for election into the office of Governor of Benue State.

“In addition to the purchase of the forms as stated herein above, the 1st defendant also presented himself for screening and was cleared by the 2nd defendant to participate in the primary election of the 2nd defendant organized for the purpose of electing the candidate of the 2nd defendant for election into the office of Governor of Benue State.

“The 1st defendant is not fit and proper to purchase forms and to participate in any primary election organized by the 2nd defendant or any other political party for the purpose of nominating candidates for election into any public office in the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” it said.

The plaintiff is praying the court for among others, a declaration that by virtue of the decision of the Supreme Court in Appeal No. SC/939/2015 between Michael K. Aondoakaa, SAN vs (1) Emmanuel Bassey Obot (2) Altorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice delivered on the 10th day of December, 2021 and section 235 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the 1st defendant cannot indicate interest in, vie for, participate in any processes designed to produce an occupant of a public office in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

*A declaration that the conduct of the 1st defendant in indicating interest, purchasing the expression of interest and nomination forms of the 2nd defendant and all other steps and action taken by the 1st defendant in his quest to vie for the office of Governor of Benue State under the platform of the 2nd defendant is in contravention and contemptuous of the decision of the Supreme Court in Appeal No. SC/939/2015 between Michael K. Aondoakaa, SAN vs (1) Emmanuel Bassey Obot (2) Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice delivered on the 10th day of December, 2021.

*An order committing the 1st defendant to prison for contempt of the orders of the Supreme Court in its judgment in Appeal No. SC/939/2015 between Michael K. Aondoakaa, SAN vs (1) Emmanuel Bassey Obot (2) Attomey General of the Federation and Minister of Justice delivered on the 10th day of December, 2021 by virtue of sections 235 and 287 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

*An order perpetually restraining the 2nd and 3rd defendants (APC and INEC) from allowing the 1st defendant to participate in any congress, meeting, convention or election designed as a process to produce an occupant of any public office in Nigeria.