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A lawyer, Oghenovo
Otemu, has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja for an order nullifying
the appointment of Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu as chairman of the board of
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), citing
alleged financial and administrative misconducts when he was governor
of Bauchi State.

Mr. Otemu, in his
originating summons, said while Mr. Mu’azu was the governor of Bauchi
State, several financial and administrative misconducts were discovered
and that the state government then set up a judicial commission of
inquiry to investigate and make recommendations.

In the suit, Mr.
Mu’azu is 1st defendant, the president of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, 2nd defendant, the Attorney General of the Federation 3rd, and
Minister of Transport, 4th.

Specifically, he
said “that based on the inquiry and recommendation of the Judicial
Commission of Inquiry. the government of Bauchi State then came up with
a White Paper which is gazetted and published on 12th November, 2009. A
gazetted copy of the Government White Paper on the Report of the
Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries,
Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of
Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007.”

Furthermore, that
in the Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission
of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra
Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May,
1999 to May, 2007 dated 12 November, 2009, the 1st Respondent was
banned from holding any public office for a period of ten years.

He said while the ban was still extant, the 1st Respondent was appointed board chairman by the 2nd Respondent.

Unfit for office

He wants a
declaration whether the Government White Paper on the Report of the
Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries,
Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of
Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007, is not a valid and binding
document on all authorities and persons in Nigeria, including the
Defendants, until set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction.

The lawyer is also
seeking for a declaration that by virtue of the recommendations and the
Bauchi State government’s position which banned the 1st Defendant from
holding public office for a period of ten years and which is contained
and/or published in the Government White Paper on the Report of the
Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries,
Parastatals, Extra Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of
Bauchi State from May, 1999 to May, 2007, the 1st Defendant cannot be
appointed into any public office until 2019.

He also wants a declaration that the appointment of the 1st
Defendant as board chairman of the board of Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency by the 2nd Defendant is null and void
by virtue of the Recommendations and the Bauchi State government’s
position, which banned the 1st Defendant from holding public office for
a period of ten years and which is contained and/or published in the
Government White Paper on the Report of the Judicial Commission of
Inquiry into the Management of some Ministries, Parastatals, Extra
Ministerial Departments of the Public Service of Bauchi State from May,
1999 to May, 2007.