Fuel Subsidy-Jonathan, Okonjo-Iweala, Allison-Madueke sued over fuel subsidy payments

ABUJA – while Nigerians are warning the FG not to take away any subsidy on fuel again, Chief Stanley Okeke,is asking the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory to issue an order compelling President Goodluck Jonathan to forth with remove the subsidy being paid on fuel in the country.

The plaintiff, Chief Stanley Okeke, who contested the Governorship election in Anambra State, 2007, equally sought a declaration that the pervasive corruption inherent in the fuel subsidy scheme has caused untold hardship to the masses of the country and therefore is an abuse of the rights of Nigerians as guaranteed by the provision of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Those listed as co-defendants in the suit were the Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Allison- Madueke and Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Besides, Okeke, via his suit dated December 21, is praying the high court for an order that will compel President Jonathan to refund to the Federation Account such sum earlier appropriated and or approved under the sub- head of fuel subsidy funds or money. He argued that it ought to be returned to the national treasury since according to him, the present administration cannot justify its genuine utilization in the face of the pervasive corruption, perennial fuel shortage and long queues being witnessed in the country. Jonathan and Okonjo-Iweala Specifically, he urged the court to direct the 3rd defendant, Okonjo-Iweala, to stop further payment of fuel subsidy money predicated on the corrupt, illegal and unlawful fuel subsidy regime. The plaintiff in his affidavit before the court maintained that the fuel subsidy currently being funded by the Federal Government is a waste of public funds and therefore unlawful and illegal to sustain sourced from vanguard