Senate president Ahmad Lawan, the Federal Ministry of Finance and China export/import bank are to show cause why a federal high court in Kano will not grant an absolute order stopping the approved 300 billion Naira loan for the Kano light rail project for which a memorandum of understanding between the Kano state government and the Chinese bank has been signed.
Kano state government on Tuesday had raised a preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear and determine the matter instituted by a civil society organisation Centre for Awareness On Justice and Accountability (CAJA).
In the originating summons, the plaintiff argued that the Kano state house of assembly approved the loan request without conducting the public hearing as is the convention adding that the procedure for obtaining external loans was not followed.
It was the contention of the plaintiff that if the loan is granted people in Kano including the unborn will suffer the consequences of repayment, asking the court to give an order stopping the loan.
Another civil society Northern Patriotic Front seeks to join the matter as an interested party on the grounds that judgement in the case will affect them directly or indirectly.
Justice Salamatu Mark adjourned the case to March 16th for ruling on the joinder application and preliminary objection. The Kano State House of Assembly, Central Bank of Nigeria, Debt Management Office and the Chinese embassy are other defendants in the suit.