Confusion trails Kano assembly’s invitation of Chief Judge

A letter of invitation extended to the Kano state Chief Judge, Justice Nura Sagir Umar, by a committee of the state’s House of Assembly has generated confusion in the state, Daily Trust reports.

It was gathered that the committee had in a letter signed by the assembly’s Director of Legal, Barrister Nasidi Aliyu dated July 26th asked the CJ to appear before the committee on July 28th.

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The invitation was said to be related to a court order issued by one of the courts, presided over by Justice Sanusi Ado Ma’aji restraining the assembly from further investigation of the suspended anti-corruption chairman, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado.

It was however gathered that the CJ ignored the invitation as he neither replied nor appeared before the committee on the said date.

The spokesman of the state judiciary, Baba Jibo Ibrahim, told Daily Trust that the CJ decided on his own not to honour or respond to the invitation.

He said the judiciary “decided to keep mute on the issue since it has already passed,” adding that they decided to channel the issue to the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Kano because they do not want to join issues with the legislators.

We are shocked – NBA

When contacted, the state NBA Chairman, Aminu Gadanya said the CJ was right for not appearing before the committee.

“It comes as a surprise. I was shocked when I heard that a committee under the Kano State House of Assembly invited the head of judiciary, that is the Chief Judge of Kano State.

“They served him the invitation on Monday and they expected him to appear before that committee on Wednesday. I learnt that the agenda for the invitation is in respect of an order that was granted by a high court judge in respect of a matter which the state assembly is a party.

“NBA as a promoter of rule of law, we totally disagree with them on the invitation itself. We have three arms of government and the constitution has provided the powers and functions of each one of them,” he said.

He added that “If it is for an oversight function they invited him, it will be an entirely different issue. But to invite him in respect of an order granted against the House, that he should appear and explain or what? Are they intimidating the judiciary?”

The NBA chairman said if the House is aggrieved with an order of the court, they should either apply for the order to be set aside or appeal against the order.

“It is very wrong for them to invite the head of court. They cannot even invite the judge that granted that order not to talk of the head of judiciary. So, we are totally against it. We are even surprised that it was our member that signed letter.”

On whether or not the NBA will take any action, the chairman said if the association receives a complaint, it will “look into it to see whether there was a professional misconduct or not.”