A Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Monday adjourned a suit filed by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) seeking a referendum to allow the South-East region to form Biafra as well as freedom for other self-determination agitations.
CNG had, in June 2021, sued the National Assembly, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, asking the court to compel the defendants to halt the ongoing constitutional review exercise and in its place, conduct a referendum to determine Nigeria and its composition.
Speaking after the adjournment, the spokesperson of the CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, told reporters that the court could not sit and the suit was subsequently adjourned to January 20, 2022.
The suit, filed by the plaintiffs and leaders of the group, Nastura Ashir Shariff, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, Balarabe Rufa’i and Aminu Adam, joined the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and the National Assembly as defendants.
The CNG said instead of constitutional review, the defendants should immediately provide a framework for the actualisation of agitators’ demand on self-determination.
“One of the issues for determination in the substantive suit has to do with the legal obligation of the 2nd – 4th defendants/Respondents to provide a framework that will pave the way for the self-determination of the South-eastern states and any other enclave that wants to go so as to leave the geographical entity called Nigeria before any further step is taken to review the Constitution,” Suleiman said.
