The Supreme Court has dismissed the suit challenging the establishment and prosecutorial powers of key anti-corruption agencies – Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), as well as another related anti-graft agency.
A seven-member panel led by Uwani Abba-Aji on Friday unanimously dismissed the suit filed by 19 state governments for lacking in merit and described the legal action as “selfish”.
Delivering the lead judgment, Mrs Abba-Aji held that the first plaintiff (Kogi AG) and others “opened the can of worms and skeletons in its cupboard” with its claim in the suit that the EFCC had invited and investigated officials of the state government.
According to Ms Abba-Aji, the claim was the height of “the selfish reasons of the plaintiff’s suit.”
She said that as much as Kogi State has the right to enact laws, any of its laws that contradict the EFCC Act, NFIU Act, and ICPC Act, which have been enacted by the National Assembly, cannot have the force of law.
“No state has the right to enact a law that is inconsistent with the laws enacted by the National Assembly,” she stated, faulting the AG of Kogi for acting as a “puppet” for corrupt practices.
Recall that the lawsuit commenced by the Kogi State Government—before other states joined—caused a row in Benue State.
On Wednesday, Governor Hyacinth Alia suspended the state’s attorney general, Mr. Mynin, for allegedly joining the lawsuit without prior authorisation from the governor’s office.
The Supreme Court heard the submissions of parties and reserved judgement on the suit on Tuesday when three other states—Anambra, Adamawa, and Ebonyi—also announced their withdrawals from the case.
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