Posted by By Ise-Oluwa Ige on
ABUJA - SEVEN natives of Bakassi Local Government Area in Cross River State yesterday filed a fresh class action before a Federal high court sitting in Abuja
ABUJA - SEVEN natives of Bakassi Local Government Area in Cross River State yesterday filed a fresh class action before a Federal high court sitting in Abuja, challenging the legality of the Treaty recently signed by both Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Paul Biya in New York, ceding Bakassi Peninsular to Cameroon.
They were contending that the treaty lacked the force of law because it was never legislated upon by the National Assembly.
The seven indigenes who sued on behalf of Bakassi Movement for Self Determination also requested the court yesterday to stop the Federal Government from expelling them and their kiths and kin from their ancestral homes under the guise of obeying a 2001 verdict of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).The suit was lodged 22 days to the expiration of a two month ultimatum given to the Bakassi indigenes to move out of the disputed oil-rich enclave or be expelled on August 12, this year.
The plaintiffs who invoked the jurisdiction of the court through the Chambers of Femi Falana are Chief Orok Eneyo, Emmanuel Effiong Etene, Ndabu Nakanda, Ita Okon Nyong, Richard Ekpenyong and Elder Tony Asuquo.Named as defendants in the suit are the Federal Government and Cross River State Government.
In their originating summons pending before the court, the indigenes posed three question to the court for determination including: Whether the Treaty signed by President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Paul Biya of Cameroun in New York, United States of America on June 12, 2006 has force of law when it has not been enacted into a law by the National Assembly pursuant to section 12 of the 1999 constitution, among others.