The senior lawyers stormed the court as early as 8 am on the invitation of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, as amicus curies (friends of the court) to make submissions that will guide the court in making a well-informed decision on the issue.
President Muhammadu Buhari had early in the year issued Executive Order 10 backing financial autonomy to the arm of the judiciary at the state level as well as the state legislature.
The executive order became contentious following the vehement objections to it by the state governors.
The governors subsequently instituted a suit at the apex to challenge its legality
The amicus curies led by two former presidents of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, chiefs Adegboyega Awomolo and Olisa Agbakoba, are billed to argue on the legality or otherwise of the Executive Order.
Plaintiffs are the 36 Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the federation being led by the Attorney General of Abia state while the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, is the defendant.
Lead counsel to the plaintiffs is a former President of the NBA and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Augustine Alegeh, while the AGF is having Tijani Gazali, SAN. as his lead counsel.
A statement made available to DAILY POST read in part ” A very important constitutional matter between Attorney General, Abia State and 35 others and Attorney General of the Federation on the scope and framework for funding courts mentioned in section 6 of the Constitution and the constitutionality of Executive 10 made by the President will be coming up at 9 am before the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the 4th of October 2021.
“The Plaintiff’s lead Counsel is Augustine Alegeh SAN, the Defence lead Counsel is T.A. Gazali, SAN.
“Dr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN, Musibau Adetunbi, SAN and Chief Sebastine. Hon, SAN, are among the Amicus Curie”.
However, at the time of this report, the legal fireworks are yet to commence as the Supreme Court is struggling to have a full panel of seven justices to take the submissions.
