HURIWA Drags FG to Court Over Board Appointment
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has dragged the Federal Government before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over the appointment of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Board of Trustees.
The plaintiffs, Emmanuel N. Onwubiko and Oniengieofori George, are asking the Court to set aside the “appointment” by the Federal Government as well as the directive issued to the third defendant (Minister of Police Affairs) to set a date for the inauguration of the Board, for undermining due process of law.
The plaintiffs are also seeking an order directing the Federal Government to immediately reconstitute the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Board of Trustees to reflect the federal character of Nigeria, especially in its leadership consisting of Chairman, Executive Secretary and other members of the Board in such a manner as to prevent the predominance of persons from a few states or a few ethnic or other sectional groups or zones. Cited as defendants in the suit are Attorney General of the Federation, Nigeria Police Council, Nigeria Police Trust Fund, and Federal Character Commission Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
The plaintiffs, in a suit, marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/534/2020, dated May 27, are asking the court to decide whether in the light of Section 162(3) of the 1999 Constitution and Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act, purporting to include as part of its revenue “an amount constituting 0.5 percent of the total revenue accruing to the Federation Account”, is not unconstitutional and void. They are also asking the court to determine whether it is not incumbent on the 1st defendant to appoint and constitute the Board to prevent the predominance of persons from a few states or a few ethnic or other sectional groups or zones on the board.
