Court declares appointment of service chiefs illegal

An Abuja Federal High Court judge, Justice Adamu Bello, on Monday declared the appointment of all the service chiefs in the country as unconstitutional, illegal, and null and void. The current service chiefs are the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika; Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh; and Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Dele Ezeoba. Justice Bello also restrained the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, from henceforth appointing service chiefs without the approval of the Senate. The judge made the declaration while ruling in a case instituted in 2008 by a lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, who asked the court to determine whether the President had the powers to unilaterally appoint service chiefs. In the suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/611/2008, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney-General of the Federation and all the service chiefs were listed as the defendants. Keyamo had asked the court to determine whether, by the combined interpretation of the provisions of Section 218 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Section 18 of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A.20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the President could appoint the service chiefs without first seeking and obtaining the confirmation of the National Assembly. The court was also asked to determine whether the provisions of Section 18 (1) (2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A.20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, was not in conformity with the 1999 Constitution, so as to fall within the category of existing laws under section 315 (2) of the 1999 Constitution that the President, may, by Order, modify its text, to bring it into conformity with the provisions of the Constitution. In his judgment in the matter, Justice Bello answered both questions in favour of the plaintiff and as a result granted all the orders sought by the suit. He made a declaration that the appointment of service chiefs for the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the President, without the confirmation of the National Assembly was illegal, unconstitutional, null and void. In the same vein, the judge declared that section 18 (1) and (2) of the Armed Forces Act, Cap. A.20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, is in conformity with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution so as not to fall within the category of existing laws under Section 315 (2) of the 1999 Constitution, that the President, may, by order, modify its text, to bring it into conformity with the provisions of the Constitution. Justice Bello also granted an order restraining the President from henceforth appointing service chiefs without first obtaining the confirmation of the National Assembly. Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday met with security chiefs to assess the security situation in the country. The meeting which lasted about three hours was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. At the meeting were Ihejirika, Badeh, Ezeoba, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; as well as head of the State Security Service. The National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.); Minister of State for Defence, Olusola Obada; and the Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, were also in attendance. Although the agenda of the meeting was not made public, it was held about 24 hours after a jail break in Akure, Ondo State. About 175 inmates fled the prison after dynamites were used to break a section of the wall. Also in Plateau State, no fewer than 50 persons were killed during a weekend of attacks on communities. None of those who attended the meeting spoke with journalists. The Presidency on Monday, however, said it had yet to get a copy of a Federal High Court Abuja ruling that declared the appointment of service chiefs solely by the President as unconstitutional, illegal, null and void. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this in a telephone interview with our correspondent. Abati said it would be wrong for the Presidency to comment on a ruling that was yet to be in its possession. He however said upon receipt of a copy, the Ministry of Justice would study the ruling with a view to advising the President appropriately.