ORBIH WINS, AS COURT BARS EDO STATE FROM LAND USE CHARGE

The Edo High Court Sitting in Benin City has barred Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Edo State Geographic Information Service (GIS) from the collection of land use charge in the state, describing it as unconstitutional, null and void.

The judgement which was delivered by Justice Peter Akhihiero on April 25, 2022 was sequel to a suit brought before him by the claimant, Chief Ferdinand Orbih SAN.

Justice Akhihiero held that land use charge was an exclusive matter for the 18 local government areas in the state.

In the Judgement with suit No. B/99D/2022, counsel to the claimant, Kingsley Obamogie had argued that by Section 7 (1) (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the collection of “Land Use Charge” was the exclusive duties of the 18 local governments of the state specifically donated by the constitution, which does not allow any derogation whatsoever.

Obamogie specifically made reference to Paragraph 1(j) of the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution that the Land Use Charge Law, 2012 and argued that the law as enacted by the Edo State House of Assembly was in flagrant breach of Section 7 Subsection 1 and 5 and paragraph 1(j) of the Fourth Schedule to the constitution.

He stated that local governments could not give up powers given to them by the constitution to collect tenement rates through an agreement between the 18 local governments and Edo State Government, being an obligatory duty imposed by the constitution.

Delivering the Judgement, Justice Akinhiero held that there was no written agreement presented to the court between the 18 local governments and the Edo State government delegating the powers to collect tenement rates to the state government.

The court also held that it was an ouster of express powers provided by the constitution for the Land Use Change Law to give powers to the Edo State Government to collect Tenement Rates using the Edo GIS.

The court then declared the Edo State Land Use Charge Law 2012, which purports to take the powers from the local governments in Edo State to collect tenement rates, as null and void, according to a THISDAY report.

Said Justice Akinhiero: “Sequel to the foregoing, I hold that in the light of the provision of Section 7, sub-section 1 and 5 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and paragraph 1(j) of the fourth schedule to the aforesaid 1999 constitution the provision of section 3 (2), 5, 18, 24 and the identified parts of section 27, the land use charge law , 2012 of Edo State are unconstitutional , invalid, null and void and of no effect whatsoever. I therefore resolved issue 1 in favor of the claimant.”

https://citylawyermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Chief-Ferdinand-v-ESGIS-Ors-Judgment.pdf  

To join our Telegram platform, please click here 

Copyright 2022 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.

RPC: ‘WHY WE SUED MALAMI,’ BY ORBIH, NBA-SLP CHAIR

The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Legal Practice (NBA-SLP), Chief Ferdinand Orbih (SAN) has said that the lawsuit filed against the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami SAN was a fallout of a directive by the association.

It is recalled that Orbih had in an exclusive interview last December told CITY LAWYER that NBA would sue Malami unless he formally reversed amendment of the RPC. The association has now made good its threat by filing a lawsuit at the Federal High Court challenging the amendment of the Rules.

Orbih told CITY LAWYER yesterday that “The suit is now firmly in court,” an indication that efforts towards amicable resolution of the debacle have hit a brick wall.

Giving further insight into the matter, Orbih said: “The Section on Legal Practice under my leadership was mandated by the National President of the NBA to drive the process. Upon receipt of the mandate I (in my capacity as the Chairman of the SLP) constituted the Legal team led by S. I. Ameh, SAN to commence the action.”

According to the fiery senior lawyer, other members of the legal team are Messrs Elisha Kurah, SAN, Oluwaseun Abimbola, SAN and M. E. Ukweni, SAN.

Orbih had in an earlier interview with CITY LAWYER said: “The Attorney-General of the Federation was on television to disclaim the controversial Rules of Professional Conduct.

“However, we are aware that the RPC has been gazetted under his name. We have therefore informed the Honourable Attorney-General that a viva voce disclaimer of the RPC will not suffice in the circumstances.

“The NBA Legal Committee has decided to engage the AGF and afford him an opportunity to issue a proper disclaimer through a written instrument published in the gazette. We expect this to be done by next week.

“If at the end of the day this is not done, we will have no option than to carry out the mandate of the NBA to litigate the matter. Let me assure that this will not take long any more, as we have been on this matter for almost two years.”

Copyright 2020 CITY LAWYER. Please send emails to citylawyermag@gmail.com. Join us on Facebook at https://web.facebook.com/City-Lawyer-Magazine-434937936684320 and on TWITTER at https://twitter.com/CityLawyerMag. To ADVERTISE in CITY LAWYER, please email citylawyermag@gmail.com or call 08138380083. All materials available on this Website are protected by copyright, trade mark and other proprietary and intellectual property laws. You may not use any of our intellectual property rights without our express written consent or attribution to www.citylawyermag.com. However, you are permitted to print or save to your individual PC, tablet or storage extracts from this Website for your own personal non-commercial use.