Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, on Wednesday, suspended the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mynin.
The commissioner was suspended for joining the suit challenging the legality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission without informing his principal.
The Apex Court had on Tuesday reserved judgment on the suit filed by 19 states of the federation.
The plaintiffs claimed that the EFCC and other related institutions were improperly created, asserting that they lack jurisdiction over states that did not consent to the enactment of the law. They base their argument on a prior Supreme Court ruling in ‘Dr. Joseph Nwobike Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria’, where the court held that the EFCC law was linked to the UN Convention.However, three out of the nineteen states challenging the constitutionality of the laws that established the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission were reported to have withdrawn from the suit.
The three states, according to the report are; Anambra (9th plaintiff), Adamawa (16th plaintiff), and Ebonyi (18th plaintiff) separately submitted applications for withdrawal before the Court.
The Attorney General of Anambra State, Professor Sylvia Ifemeje, informed the court that she wishes to withdraw from the suit, having filed a motion for withdrawal on October 20.
Similarly, the Attorney General of Ebonyi State, Ikenna Nwidagu, stated, “My Lord, I filed a notice of withdrawal dated and filed on October 21. My Lords, we pray this honourable Court strikes out the name of the 18th plaintiff.”
However, Alia, who was taken aback that the state joined other states to challenge the legality of the anti-corruption agency, was said to have ordered the suspension of the attorney general.
Confirming the suspension, the governor’s spokesperson, Kula Tersoo, said: “It’s true, His Excellency today suspended the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order for joining the suit challenging the legality of EFCC without informing the governor.”
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