The Federal High Court Abuja on Tuesday, granted the Centre for Social Justice leave to file a suit against the Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja.
The court equally gave the centre permission to commence legal action against the Director- General, Securities and Exchange Commission, (SEC).
The court compelled the vice chancellor and DG of SEC, who are the respondents, to grant the centre, (the applicant) access to details of documentation evidencing the remittance to the Consolidated revenue Fund (CRF) the sum of N603 million.
The applicants said the sum was 25 per cent of the internally generated revenue.
The applicants said they brought the application for an order of mandamus against the vice chancellor and the DG, SEC pursuant to Order 34 Rule 3 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedures Rules 2019.
The applicant is praying for a declaration that denying it access to the details of the documentation evidencing the remittance of the funds is an infringement of its right guaranteed and protected by section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011.
In the suit against the DG of SEC, the centre is asking for a declaration that denying it access to the details of the documentation evidencing the remittance to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) the sum of N160 million being the interests from investing into Nigerian Treasury Bills (NTBs) by the respondent and which was not remitted to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) as required by law.
The centre contends that the non-remittance was also a contravention of the recommendation of the Auditor General of the Federation in page 179 of the Auditor General’s Annual Report on the Accounts of the Federation of Nigeria for the year 2017.
The judge, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu adjourned the matter until July 23nan
