Death of judge stalls dual citizenship suit against Oyo senator

•Case re-assigned to vacation judge

THE death of Justice E.S Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who was handling a dual citizenship suit filed against the Senator representing Oyo Central District, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, by five voters from the district, has stalled the delivery of judgment in the suit.

Sunday Tribune gathered that Justice Chukwu died, last month, in Abuja, while recuperating from a surgery.

The judge had collapsed after he was already set to deliver judgment in the suit number FHC filed on September 14, 2015, by the five claimants from Oyo Central district.

Among other prayers, the claimants are asking the court to compel INEC to withdraw the certificate of return issued to Senator Sunmonu upon her election on March 28, 2015 and a perpetual injunction barring her from parading herself as a senator.

One of the claimants, Alhaji Bola Akinyemi, confirmed the death of the Judge to Sunday Tribune, saying they were waiting for the re-assigning of the matter to another judge.

Akinyemi, who condoled with the family of the judge and his colleague judges over the bereavement, said the announcement of Justice Chukwu’s demise sent shock waves to them.

He prayed to God to give the family and the Bench, as well as the judiciary in the country, the strength to bear the loss.

Meanwhile, Sunday Tribune was reliably informed that the matter has been re-assigned to a vacation judge to handle while the courts proceed on annual vacation from the middle of this month.

It was gathered that a vacation judge was chosen so as to dispense with the matter, which borders on the interpretation of certain sections of the 1999 Constitution.