Kano govt raises alarm, says only one out of four FHC judges heard 70 opposition cases in one year
Kano State government has expressed its concerns over what it called the unusual concentration of cases involving politically exposed persons “affiliated to a particular political party” before a judge of the Federal High Court division in the state.
In an application for the recusal of Justice Simon Amobeda in Suit No: FHC/KN/CS/425/2024, filed on Thursday, a copy of which Nigerian Sketch cited the state government, through the office of the Attorney General of the state, said the judge in known to be particularly interested in cases filed against the state government sand its agencies.
In an affidavit in support of its application, the state government claimed that “from June 2023 to date, 4 Honourable Judges presided over the proceedings in the Federal High Court Kano Division, where Honourable Juatice Simon Amobeda is the presiding Judge of Court No. 3.
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“Between June, 2023 and November, 2024 not less than 70 cases were filed against the Government of Kano State and its agencies by politically exposed persons affiliated to a particular political block, their cronies and companies and all the cases were heard by Honourable Justice Simon Amobeda despite the fact that there were three judges of the Court during the period.
“That many of the Plaintiffs/ Applicants in the above-named cases are well known figures of the All Progressives Congress in Kano and beyond who have held political positions and are still holding same.
“That I know as a fact that the Government of Kano State and its agencies have filed series of petitions before the National Judicial Council against Honourable Justice S. A. Amobeda.”
The state therefore requested that the judge recuse himself from the case at hand, which involves the opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
