By Vivian Okejeme Abuja
A group, Registered Trustees of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Institute, yesterday, dragged President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and four others before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, over alleged unlawful sack of the Board Chairman of the National Pension Commission PenCom, Adamu Mu’azu, and the Director-General, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu. Th e group through its counsel, Chidi Nwankwo in an Originating Summon, joined the National Assembly, Senate President, Alhaji Dikko Aliyu Abdulrahawan, and Mr. Funso Doherty, as defendants.
In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/368/2017, the plaintiff is praying the court for a declaration that the removal of both PenCom Chairman and DG, respectively, from offi ce without any justifi able reason whatsoever is in fl agrant violation of Section 20 of Pension Reform Act No. 4 of 2014 and ipso facto illegal, unlawful, null and void and of no eff ect whatsoever. When the matter came up for mention yesterday, the trial judge,Justice John Tsoho adjourned till October 16 for hearing. Th e plaintiff is asking the court to determine whether the removal from Offi ce of Mu’azu and AnohuAmazu, respectively, from offi ce without any justifi able reason whatsoever is not in clear violation of sections 20 and 21(1) of Pension Reform Act No. 4 of 2014.
Th e group is also asking the court to determine whether the appointment of Abdulrahaman and Doherty as the DG and Chairman of PenCom, respectively, is not in violation of sections 19(5) and 21(2) of the Pension Reform Act No. 4 of 2014. Upon the determination of the questions, the court is prayed to make a declaration that the appointment of Abdulrahaman and Doherty is in violation of sections 19(5) and 21(2) of Pension Reform Act No. 4 of 2014 and, therefore, illegal, null and void and no eff ect in law. Furthermore, the plaintiff prays for an order setting aside the removal of Mu’azu and AnohuAmazu as Chairman and DG of PenCom, respectively. Th ey also want the court to set aside the purported appointment of Abdulrahaman and Doherty as Chairman and DG of PenCom
