Posted by By Nnamdi Felix/Abuja on
A Federal High Court, today, in Abuja, adjourned till 26 November, its judgement in a suit filed by the embattled Chief Judge of Sokoto State, Aisha Sani, seeking to stop the State House of Assembly from investigating her over a petition against her by the Sokoto State Council of Ulamas and Imams.
A Federal High Court, today, in Abuja, adjourned till 26 November, its judgement in a suit filed by the embattled Chief Judge of Sokoto State, Aisha Sani, seeking to stop the State House of Assembly from investigating her over a petition against her by the Sokoto State Council of Ulamas and Imams.
In the proceedings this morning, counsel to the National Judicial Council (NJC), Mr. Joe Dawodu, urged the court to assume jurisdiction in the matter, as, according to him, no judicial officer can be investigated without the NJC participating in the investigation.
He contended that the NJC is constitutionally empowered to discipline or investigate any erring judicial officer.
On the other hand, the Sokoto State Attorney-General and the State House of Assembly through their counsel, Mr. Yahaya Moumud, averred that Section 292(1) deals exclusively with the chief judge of a state and the power to remove him or her lies on a resolution of the State House of Assembly; while Section 292 (1d) of the 1999 Constitution, gives similar powers to the NJC in respect of other judges apart from the chief judge.
He further stated that there is no provision in the constitution authorising the House of Assembly to refer the investigation of the chief judge to the NJC. He, therefore urged the court to hold that it lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter, or in the alternative, to hold that the court cannot stop the Sokoto House of Assembly from performing its constitutional function.