Justice Abdulkadir Abdulkafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja Tuesday included former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Idris Kutigi and two others as parties in a suit challenging the legitimacy of the National Conference inaugurated on Monday by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The judge’s decision was upon an application by rights activist, Tunji Abayomi.
Abayomi, who filed the suit, sought the court’s permission Tuesday, to amend his processes to reflect the names of Kutigi (conference chairman), Professor Bolaji Akinyemi (Vice Chairman) and Mrs. Valerie Azinge (Secretary) as defendants in the suit on the ground that they were necessary parties.
Defendants’ lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) who is also a participant at the conference, did not oppose Abayomi’s application.
The judge subsequently included the three as defendants and ordered service of court documents on them. Their inclusion now brings to seven defendants in the suit.
Others are President Jonathan, the Senate, its President, House of Representatives and its Speaker.
Abayomi is by the suit, seeking to stop the national conference on the ground that the President lacked the powers to convoke or convene a national conference without a law from the National Assembly empowering him to do so.
The activist, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/ 167/204 asked the court to determine whether a national conference can be convened by the President and/or government of Nigeria without a law made by the National Assembly enabling them to do so.
In a supporting affidavit, Abayomi stated that the Federal Government has planned to spend billions of public money to fund the conference despite the absence of any law enabling the President to convoke the conference.
He added that the Federal Government was bent on spending such amount despite the limited power invested in the President to use money to execute law.
