High court declines jurisdiction in Sanusi’s suit

Justice Gabriel Kolawole of an Abuja Federal High Court, on Tuesday, declined jurisdiction in a suit filed by suspended CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and subsequently transferred the case to theNational Industrial Court for determination.

Delivering judgment, Justice Kolawole held that the plaintiff’s suit was a matter within the purview and exclusive jurisdiction of the President of the National Industrial Court to resolve.

He, therefore, ordered that the case be transferred to the court, in accordance with the National Industrial Court Act.

Kolawole held that it would be inappropriate for him to go into the merit of the suit because Sanusi’s suit bordered on employer-employee dispute concerning CBN, a Federal Government agency.

“In conclusion, the plaintiff’s suit is, hereby, transferred to the National Industrial Court in accordance with Section 24(C) of the National Industrial Act for determination.

“It is, hereby ordered that the plaintiff’s case be directed to the National Industrial Court for its president to resolve or decide.

“It will be inappropriate for me to determine this case on its merit as it is clearly a labour matter which is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court president to resolve,’’ he said.

Justice Kolawole also struck out the name of the Inspector-General of Police from the suit, as prayed by its counsel, Mr. Solomon Umoh (SAN).

Sanusi had, on February 24, challenged his suspension from office by President Goodluck Jonathan and urged the court to reverse the decision.

The President, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of Police were joined as co-defendants in the suit.

He had urged the court to restrain the defendants from “obstructing, disturbing, stopping or preventing him in any manner whatsoever, from performing the functions as Governor of the Central Bank’’. (NAN)