The absence in court of Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, stalled hearing in the suit brought by suspended CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
Sanusi had, through his lead counsel, Mr Kola Awodein, challenged his suspension by President Goodluck Jonathan and prayed for an order of court to re-instate him as CBN governor.
At the hearing of the case yesterday, Justice Kolawole was not in court and a court official informed the parties and counsel that the judge was attending a seminar.
Ruling earlier on Sanusi’s motion ex-parte seeking an interlocutory injunction from the court for a reversal of the president’s decision, Kolawole had said that it was judicially unsafe to do so.
“I feel hesitant and constrained to grant the plaintiff’s application because it would be unfair to grant such an application without affording the respondents a hearing,” he said.
Sanusi had on February 24, approached the court with a motion ex-parte seeking an interim order against the President, Attorney-General and their agents.
He had prayed the court to restraint them from “obstructing, disturbing, stopping or preventing him in any manner whatsoever, from performing the functions as governor of the Central Bank.”
Sanusi had also sought to be allowed to fully enjoy the statutory powers and privileges attached to the office, arguing that any delay might cause him irreparable and serious damages.
The plaintiff’s motion was supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit and two exhibits attached and marked as Exhibit AA1 and AA2.
Hearing in the matter was fixed for March 19.
