The suit filed by the Igbo Socio-cultural group, the Incorporated Trustees of Alaigbo Development Foundation seeking to strike to the appointment of 18 new Justices for the Court of Appeal has been dismissed by the Federal high court in Abuja.
The presiding judge Justice Inyang Ekwo threw out the case on the ground that it lacked merit in law and in substance.
The Judge held that the body that instituted the case has no locus standi to file a public interest case.
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Moreover, having been registered as a Non- governmental body to raise funds for charity only in law, the plaintiff cannot go outside its mandate to dabble into issues of public interest litigation.
The plaintif asked the court to stop the appointment of the appellate court justices on the ground that the South East region had been marginalized and that the Principle of Federal Character was breached in the way and manner the Appeal Court justices were nominated and subsequently prayed the judge to stop the appointment.
Justice Ekwo in his judgment upheld objections that the group has no legal status to institute the suit and struck it out for lack of locus standi.
( Editor : Omor Bazuaye)
