Tag: Court of Appeal

A/Court overturns decision on deregistration of ADC, 4 others

Aminu Imam
A'Court overturns deregistration 

The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal yesterday overturned a decision made by the Federal High Court that had ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, and three other political parties. The appellate court specifically ruled that the judgment requiring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister these parties was null and void. Reports indicate that Justice Peter Lifu from the Federal High Court in Abuja had directed INEC to deregister these parties based on their performance in the 2023 general elections. In response,…

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A’Court bars INEC from recognising Mark-led ADC congresses

Aminu Imam
A'Court bars INEC on Mark led ADC

…Party insists primaries remain valid The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld a Federal High Court judgment restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or participating in state congresses organised by committees appointed by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), even as the party insisted the ruling would not affect candidates who emerged through its direct primaries. In a split two-to-one decision delivered yesterday, a three-member panel of the appellate court affirmed the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court, which barred…

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A’Court halts ADC deregistration, slams High Court judge for ‘judicial rascality’

Aminu Imam
A'Court halts ADC deregistration

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has suspended the execution of a Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties, delivering a major reprieve to the affected parties and a sharp rebuke to the trial judge. In a unanimous ruling yesterday, a three-member panel led by Justice A.B. Mohammed granted a stay of execution of the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the…

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A’Court sacks Abure, confirms Usman as LP leader

Aminu Imam
A'Court sacks Abure

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has affirmed Senator Nenadi Usman as the legitimate leader of the Labour Party (LP), bringing an end to the leadership tussle that has lingered for months. In a unanimous judgment delivered by a 3-member panel, the appellate court dismissed the appeal filed by Barr. Julius Abure, describing it as lacking merit. The court upheld the earlier decision of the Federal High Court which recognised Nenadi Usman as the party’s leader. The ruling followed Abure’s challenge against the January 2026 judgment of the…

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Appeal Court upholds ban on NBC’s power to fine broadcast stations

Aminu Imam
A'Court on NBC

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed the appeal filed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) against the judgement barring it from imposing fines on broadcast stations. Oyejoju Oyewumi, who led the three-member panel, yesterday ruled that the NBC’s appeal lacked merit. Other justices on the panel are Abba Bello Mohammed and Donatus Uwaezuoke Okorowo. In a unanimous verdict, Oyewumi held that the NBC cannot challenge the judgement at the court of appeal, having failed to contest the suit at the federal high court. Recall that on March 1,…

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₦400bn probe: El-Rufa’i gets fresh trial in rights suit

Aminu Imam
El Rufa’i gets fresh trial

The Court of Appeal in Kaduna has nullified the Federal High Court judgment in a fundamental rights suit filed by former state governor Nasir el-Rufa’i, ordering a fresh hearing before another judge. In a unanimous ruling on March 17, the three-member panel held that the lower court violated el-Rufa’i’s right to fair hearing, citing lack of proper service of hearing notice. The court ruled that the entire proceedings were a nullity. The case stemmed from a Kaduna State House of Assembly probe that indicted el-Rufa’i over an alleged ₦400 billion…

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Tinubu seeks Senate approval to expand Federal High Court, reform A’Court operations

Aminu Imam
Tinubu seeks to expand

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has written to the Senate seeking legislative approval to amend the Federal High Court Act and the Court of Appeal Act, proposing a significant expansion in the number of judges and wide-ranging reforms aimed at improving efficiency, reducing delays and modernising judicial processes. In separate letters read on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the President requested an increase in the number of judges of the Federal High Court from 70 to 90, and an expansion of justices of the…

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Alleged N7.6bn Fraud: Appeal Court strikes out FGs suit seeking ex-Abia Gov. Kalus retrial

Aminu Imam

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has struck out bid by the Federal Government to begin fresh prosecution of a former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, in the N7.6 billion fraud and money laundering case brought against him. The appellate court threw away the Governments move in a judgment delivered in Abuja by Justice Joseph Oyewole yesterday. Oyewole held that the record of appeal brought by the Federal Government was incompetent and unreliable for any court to use to grant its request. Among others, Justice Oyewole said that the…

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Rivers: Appeal Court upholds Gov. Fubaras victory, dismisses Cole, others suit

Aminu Imam

An Appeal Court, sitting in Lagos State, has rejected an appeal filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Arc. Patrick Tonye-Cole. The petition was against the victory of Governor Siminalayi Fubara of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC). Tonye-Cole sought the court to instruct INEC to declare him the winner of the March governorship election in Rivers. However, the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had previously dismissed his petition, stating that the APC had withdrawn their…

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2023 Elections: INEC danced naked in the market Appeal Court slams electoral body

Aminu Imam

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja berated the Independent National Electoral Commissioner, INEC, while accusing it of being partisan. The appellate court, on Friday, slammed the Commission for appearing before it to act in favour of a party in an election dispute, by disowning documents that it not only issued, but also duly certified. The court lamented that the electoral body has continued to dance naked in the market, even though it was meant to assume a neutral stand in election litigations. The INEC, as an institution, should be…

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