Abia: Judge Transfers Suit Against Lawmaker’s Election

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

A Federal Capital Territory High Court, has transferred the suit involving the Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Honourable Benjamin Okezie Kalu, to the High Court of Abia state.
Justice Danlami Senchi in transferring the suit made an order asking the Chief Judge of the state to re-assign the case to another judge.
Honourable Kalu is representing Bende Federal Constituency of Abia state, in the National Assembly.
An indigene of the state, who also claimed to be a registered in the 2019 general election from Bende Federal Constituency, Mr. Ezeala Okechukwu had approached the court to nullify the lawmaker’s election on the ground that he was not qualified to contest the election.
In the suit filed through his counsel, Barrister Ifeanyichukwu Nwosu, the plaintiff said the lawmaker did not comply with the provision of Section 65(2a) of the 1999 Constitution.
When the case came up yesterday, Justice Senchi drew the attention of Barrister Nwosu to the new Practice Direction issued by the Chief Justice of Nigeria which states that political cases should be filed and determined in the states where issues arose.
Justice Senchi said, ‘’Following the new Practice Direction by the CJN that all political cases should be sent back to the states where issues arose, I will have no choice than to transfer this case back to Abia state, where the cause of action arose.
‘’Pursuant to the Practice Direction, this suit is hereby transferred to Abia state, for reassignment by the Chief Judge of the state’’.