A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, overruled an application by Maxwell Opara, a legal practitioner, seeking to restrain the tenure extension of Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, Inspector General of Police.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed gave the ruling following a lawsuit filed by Maxwell Opara and argued by his lawyer, Ugochukwu Ezekiel.

Opara, in a motion with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/106/2, is challenging the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the service year of the IGP by 3 months.

Arguing the motion, Ezekiel told the court that the application was brought pursuant to Section 215, 216 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 7 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020 and provision of the court.

Read Also: NBA SUES PRESIDENT BUHARI OVER EXTENSION OF IGP'S TENURE

Joined in the lawsuit as co-defendants are IGP Mohammed Adamu, the Federation’s Attorney General, and the Ministry of Justice.

In his motion, Opara asks the court to pass an order disallowing Adamu from parading himself as the IGP and asking the court to give the defendant 30 days to respond to the suit.

In response to the complainant’s request, the Judge says that the order would contradict the provision of the law.

“The prayer one is hereby refused,” he ruled.

Mohammed further states that the defendants shall be notified of the second plea of the plaintiff.

The IGP was represented in the court by Alex Izinyon, SAN, but the 1st, 3rd, and 4th defendants were not duly represented.

The case was later adjourned till 24th February 2021 for further hearing.

Read Also: PRESIDENT BUHARI EXTENDS TENURE OF IGP MOHAMMED ADAMU BY THREE MONTHS

Recall that IGP Adamu was due to retire from the police 1st February 2021 having spent a maximum of 35 years in service, but his tenure was extended by Buhari 'to give room for proper selection of a successor.'

Meanwhile, many Nigerians,legal practitioners and organizations such as Civil Society Organisation, CSO, Citizens Action for Good Governance, CAGG and many others have described the extension as illegal and unconstitutional.

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has also dragged President Muhammadu Buhari before the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court over his decision to extend the tenure of theInspector General of Police by three months.

In the suit with number FHC/L/CS/214/2021, the NBA is seeking judicial determination on whether the President has constitutional powers to extend by three months, the tenure of the IGP who had on February 1, 2021 attained 35 years of service as a member of the Nigeria Police Force.

Joined in the lawsuit by the NBA as co-defendants are the Police Service Commission (2nd defendant) and IGP Mohammed Abubakar (3rd defendant).