- Says Justice Lifu Action A Brazen Disregard For Higher Court, Highest Form Of Judicial Impertinence
- INEC: We Received No Notice Of Judgment, We Learnt Of It Through Media Reports
- Atiku Hails Judgement, Warns Against Judicial Manipulation
The Court of Appeal has described Justice Peter Lifu as being unfit to sit on the bench.
The Court stated this while delivering its bench ruling in the appeal against the decision of Justice Lifu directing INEC to deregister the ADC and four other political parties.
In a unanimous decision yesterday, a three-member panel of the appellate court led by Justice A. B. Mohammed, criticised Justice Lifu for flouting an order it made on May 22, which directed him to suspend proceedings before him.
The appellate court held that Justice Lifu’s action amounted to an affront on the hierarchy of courts, while describing his judgement as “brazen disregard for the higher court and the highest form of judicial impertinence”.
It stressed that the Supreme Court previously held that a judge who acted in such manner “is unfit for the bench as it amounts to judicial rascality.”
“Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This court has supervisory authority over the trial court. The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution.
“This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are made. The application for stay of execution is here yet granted. The enforcement of the judgment is stayed,” the appellate court held.
Earlier, the Independent National Electoral Commission asked the appellate court to stay the execution of the judgement that ordered the deregistration of the ADC and four other political parties.
The Commission also threw its weight behind a notice of appeal lodged by the political parties, seeking the upturning of the judgement.
Addressing the three-member panel of the appellate court, the electoral body said it was shocked by the decision of Justice Lifu to deliver the judgement despite an order that stopped him from doing so.
INEC, while making submissions through its team of lawyers led by Haliru Mohammed, said it was not notified that the judgement would be delivered.
According to Mohammed, the electoral body only heard about the court’s decision through media reports.
He said, “My Lords, we are aware of an order that this court made on May 22, which stopped the delivery of the judgement of the lower court, which was initially reserved for delivery on June 5.
“We were not aware of any notice from the court regarding the delivery of the judgement. We only saw it as breaking news in the media.
“We, therefore, do not oppose the application of the appellant to stay the execution of the judgment.”,
Meanwhile, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has welcomed the court of appeal’s stay of execution verdict on the federal high court judgement that ordered the deregistration of five political parties.
Reacting to the ruling in a post, Atiku, who is also the presidential candidate of the ADC for the 2027 elections, commended the appellate court’s intervention, describing the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) role in the appeal-seeking process as “significant”.
“I welcome the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgement seeking the deregistration of our great party, the ADC, and four other political parties. It is particularly significant that INEC itself initiated the application for the stay,” he wrote.
Atiku said the development reflected growing public concern over what he called “judicial contradictions and politically charged rulings” within the judiciary.
He added that the judiciary is now under scrutiny, aligning with the position of David Mark, ADC national chairman, who had earlier said the judiciary was “on trial”.
According to him, any attempt to weaken Nigeria’s democracy through judicial interference poses a serious threat to the country’s stability.
“Any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy through judicial manipulation is a grave danger to the Republic. If our democracy suffers further injury, history will demand accountability from those entrusted with dispensing justice,” he said.
Atiku urged the judiciary to uphold constitutional principles and the rule of law, insisting that it still has an opportunity to restore public confidence.
