The Supreme Court has put off hearing in the appeal filed by former Finance Minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iwuala against a judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, ordering her and others to refund the excess salary they allegedly earned under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.
In suspending hearing in the appeal, the apex court noted irregularities in the number assigned to it, which is similar to the one assigned to another appeal filed in the name of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who was also ordered, in the Appeal Court verdict, to recover the excess money paid to Okonjo-Iweala and ex-Foreign Affair Minister, Olu Adeniji.
At the mention of the appeal, on Monday, Chinasa Onyegbunam announced appearance for the appellant (Okonjo-Iweala); another lawyer, Chima Okereke, announced appearance for the second respondent.
Okereke said his client also had an appeal with similar number.
When the court queried him on this, the lawyer said his appeal was filed on August 17, 2007, while Onyegbunam told the court that her client’s appeal was filed on August 21, 2007.
On why an appeal was filed in the name of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Okereke said: “My client and the Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala were asked to refund some money and the Federal Government was criticised for over-paying certain ministers.”
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