A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, adjourned hearing on the suit filed by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) seeking a referendum to determine the fate of Biafran and other self-determination agitators, to January 27, 2023.
Recall that, CNG had in June 2021 dragged the National Assembly and the Attorney-General of the Federation to Court, asking the defendants to halt the ongoing constitutional review exercise and in its place, conduct a referendum to determine what constitutes Nigeria and who populates it.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, who presided over the matter, granted all the motions to allow interested parties to be joined in the suit.
Counsel to CNG, Barrister Sufiyanu Gambo, while speaking with journalists after the adjournment, said the court had adjourned to 27 January for taking all the application to enable them have the processes and then respond appropriately.
In his reaction, the spokesperson of CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, lamented that the suit had suffered too many adjustments within a few months.
His words: “We feel the suit has suffered too many adjustments. It’s been dragging for about a year now without commencing hearing. But the delays are about process. The suit is developing into an interesting national issue and we’re confident the result would put all agitations to rest.
“We’re assured by the requests coming from parties seeking to be joined as defendants in the case. This testifies to the fact that after all, we at CNG have taken the necessary decision by taking this legal option for the resolution of the lingering crisis of trust that appears to be overwhelming all other previous options.
“We’re are also confident that in the end the court, a temple of justice, would dispense justice appropriately in the interest of the future of Nigeria”.
However, the Ibom Nation People Movement counsel, Barrister Adesina Oke, who applied to join the application, disclosed that the Ibom nation agitators were also interested in self-determination.
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