The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday granted three applications filed by the suspended Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission, Mounir Gwarzo.
Gwarzo, it would be recalled, was suspended in November 2017 by former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun over alleged financial misappropriation.
Gwarzo thereafter approached the court seeking a declaration that his appointment as DG of SEC was valid, legal and subsisting, among other claims.
At the hearing, Gwarzo’s counsel, Adetayo Adeyemi, told the court that
he had three applications before the court.
Adeyemi listed them as application for extension of time, which was
supported by an eight-paragraph affidavit.
The extension of time, according to Adeyemi, is in order for him to
reply to the preliminary objection earlier raised by SEC’s counsel.
The claimant’s counsel also sought for an extension of time to file
all other necessary documents, including his written address.
The other application filed by Adeyemi is for all other pending
applications in the suit to be taken together.
The judge, Justice Sanusi Kado, in his ruling, granted all the
applications as the defendants’ counsel did not oppose the
application.
Abdullahi Abubakar, counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation,
one of the respondents who was appearing for the first time, also
sought for extension of time.
He said that he filed the application on October 19 to enable him file
the necessary documents in the suit.
Kado also granted the counsel’s application and told all parties to
regularise their processes.
There was no legal representation for the Minister of Finance, also
joined as respondent.
Next hearing has since been slated for November 29.
