A Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, has fixed July 26 for hearing a motion seeking an order compelling the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to release details of the asset declaration forms of Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The motion on notice filed by an applicant, Emmanuel Agonsi, to the effect was scheduled for hearing on Monday by the Chief Judge of FHC, Justice John Tsoho.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that hearing notices had been issued to parties in the matter.
NAN reports that Agonsi, through his lawyer, Solomon Apke, had, in 2021, sued CCB and Yakubu as 1st and 2nd respondents respectively.
Agonsi, in a motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/33/2021 dated Jan. 24 and filed Jan. 25, also sought an order of mandamus directing the CCB to release to him details of the asset declaration forms of Prof. Yakubu’s unmarried adult children in its custody as requested in his letter of Dec. 17, 2020; as well as accept payment of the appropriate fees from him forthwith.
The applicant further prayed the court for an order of mandamus directing the 1st respondent (CCB) to forthwith produce for the examination of the court, certified copies of the assets declaration forms of Yakubu and his unmarried adult children submitted to CCB for the period between 2007 and 2012 when he held office as executive secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and as INEC chairman between 2015 and 2020, and any other ones declared thereafter.
He, therefore, sought the following reliefs: “A declaration that the 1st respondent has a statutory and public duty to furnish the applicant information and details concerning the 2nd respondent as contained in the applicant’s letter of request dated 17th December, 2020.
“A declaration that the refusal or failure of the 1st respondent to respond to or comply with the applicant’s request as contained in his letter dated 17th December, 2020 constitutes a refusal/failure of the 1st respondent’s statutory and/or public duty to the applicant and is therefore unlawful, illegal, abuse of powers, abuse of discretion and ultra vires.”
(NAN)
