…There’s a group within the monarchy frustrating the approval of appointment…
…The group isn’t the government, the courts ordered the Governor, not any group, to approve the appointment of the Emirate Council’s selected district head…
Following the undue delay in the approval of the appointment of the district head of Jalingo-Maiha, as directed by the High Court’ judgment of July 13, 2018, precided by Justice Hafsat Abdurrahma and affirmed by the Appeal Court precided by Justice James Shehu Abiriyi, on September, 2020, A Yola High Court precided by His Lordship Hon Justice Nathan Musa, the Chief Judge of the state, has on June 15, 2022 issued an order of mandatory injunction compelling the Executive Governor of Adamawa State to approve the appointment of Barr Mahmud Abubakar as the District Head of Jalingo-Maiha.
In spite of the long periods the judgments were delivered, the Adamawa state Governor, has to this day, not approve the appointment of Jalingo-Maiha district head even after some districts were created and the district heads appointed by him.
The citizenry asked what could have informed the seeming collective punishment to the point of overruling court orders in the appointment of the district head?
Maiha was the lone local government in the state that the governor visited only for campaign during the 2019 electioneering atmosphere. He was not to visit the LGA until another campaign period in 2022.
A revelation by a powerful source, faulted the hypocrisy at play within the ruling family, alleging that “there’s a group within the monarchy frustrating the approval of appointment of Barr Mahmud. The group will rather have the stool empty than having the Emirate Council selected and courts declared district head appointed”.
Concerned elders are however not agreed that this should be cogent enough a reason for the Adamawa Governor not to honour court orders, saying: “The group isn’t the government and the courts have only ordered the Governor, not any group, to approve the appointment of the Emirate Council selected district head of Jalingo-Maiha. We’re talking about the rule of law here, it’s way beyond personal interest.
A Judgment from Justice Hafsat as High Court in 2018 to CJ Hafsat as Chief Judge of the state, Jalingo-Maiha is not to have the appointment of her legitimate district head approved. Where lies the justice in good governance! Why the collective punishment if it is for the offence the district is not aware of committing?
Find below the Chief Judge Nathan’s court order endorsing the 2018 High Court order delivered by Chief Judge Hafsat as a High Court Judge on the approval of appointment of Jalingo-Maiha district head:
“In the High Court of Justice of Adamawa State of Nigeria in the Yola Judicial Division Holden At Yola Before His Lordship Hon Justice Nathan Musa (Chief Judge) This 15th Day Of June, 2022
Judgement: Between Mahmud Abubakar And Governor Adamawa State
Court Order:
On the whole therefore, this application having been meritorious is granted as prayed. I shall now pronounce and order as follows:
An order of mandatory injunction compelling the Executive Governor of Adamawa State to approve the name of Mahmud Abubakar as the proper person for appointment as the District Head of Jalingo-Maiha District in Maiha Local Government of Adamawa State.
Issued at Yola Under the Hand of the Hon Chief Judge and Seal of Court. This 16th Day of June 2022
Signed by Barr Helen Samuel, (D.R.C Litigation)…
To be continued…