Executive order 8: Lawyer asks Justice Ojukwu to hands off from fresh suit

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

A legal practitioner and rights activist, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, has asked Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to withdraw from adjudicating over a fresh suit challenging President Muhammadu Buhari’s Executive Order 8.
The order permits the Federal Government to confiscate assets belonging to persons facing corruption related charges.
In a fresh suit filed by one Oyewole Rapheal Adekunle through against the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ajulo asked Justice Ojukwu to withdraw from the suit based on her earlier judgement in a similar suit.
Justice Ojukwu had while delivering judgement in a suit filed by two lawyers upheld the power of the President to make such order.
She consequently struck out the suit.
Ajulo had through a letter dated October 12,2018 and addressed to Justice Ojukwu asked her to withdraw from hearing the suit.
The letter reads in part, “Consequent using Lordships judgement delivered on the 11th of October, 2018 in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/740/2018 being a sister case to the applicants’which subject matter touches on the constitutionality/legality or otherwise of the Executive Order 006 of 2018 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“It is our considered view that your lordship clearly disclosed your standpoint and perspective on the same subject.
“Hence, we hereby humbly request that your lordship withdraw from deciding the above captioned suit and return the case file to the Chief Judge for re-assignment.
“We firmly believe in my lord’s ability to do justice always, however, the circumstance of the applicants suit has necessitated that the subject matter of the suit be determined by another judge so as to give opportunity to another perspective on the subject matter, this we strongly believe will expand the expound our jurisprudence.”