A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted a leave to South-East groups that applied to be joined as parties to the suit filed by the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) seeking a referendum for an independent state of Biafra.
The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, granted the prayer on Friday as contained in the motion on notice filed by the interested parties to be joined in the suit.
The judge therefore joined the parties as 6, 7and 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 defendants respectively.
The judge also gave the applicants 14 days to file and serve amended processes on the defendants.
He therefore adjourned the matter to October 20, 2022, for mention.
The Igbo groups’ lead counsel, Victor Onwaremadu, while addressing journalists said, “My prayer is that they should allow the citizens of this country to conduct referendum to determine whether they will continue in this country as on entity or whether they will go on their separate way. That is our main prayer in this suit.
“The Northerners are here, the Westerners are here and all the regions and my Lord accepted the application to join in the suit.”
Recall that a suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/538/2021, was filled in June last year by the plaintiffs and leaders of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), including Nastura Ashir Shariff, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, Balarabe Rufa’i and Aminu Adam.
They joined the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and the National Assembly as defendants.
