Group raises alarm over how 2 Courts in FCT passed different judgements on same issue

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Following the recent Court judgement extending the tenure of the Chairmen of the six Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and their Councilors to four years, a non-governmental organisation, Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy (CRPA) has warned against destructive action by some persons that could lead to loss of confidence in the Judicial process and result in anarchy.

The group in a statement signed by its national coordinator, Ifeanyi Okechukwu, Monday in Abuja, called on the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, National Judicial Commission(NJC) and other well-meaning Nigerians to act immediately so as to save the Judiciary from an act described as “shameful act to the Judges of the FCT High Court.”

According to the statement, the public opinion at the moment is that both Justice Ibrahim Mohammed and Honourable Justice O.A. Adeniyi have been bribed to set aside the Judgment extending the tenure of the Chairmen of the six Area Councils and their Councilors.

“Such public perception of the Judges is destructive and could lead to loss of confidence in the Judicial process which in turn will result in anarchy as people will resort to self help to resolve their differences instead of taking the due process of law.

“In a desperate move to have the Judgment set aside, an application was filed by Hon. Abubakar Jabrin Giri, the chairman-elect of Gwagwalada Area Council at the Registry of Honourable Justice Ibrahim Mohammed’s Court, while the Honourable Minister of the FCT filed his own application to set aside the Judgment of Honourable Justice Ibrahim Mohammed at the Registry of Honourable Justice O.A. ADENIYI’s Court.

“The Suit Number of the applications pending at the courts of Honourable Justice Ibrahim Mohammed and Honourable Justice O.A. Adeniyi are the same, that is, SUIT NO: FCT/HC/CV/910/2022 and the parties in the Suit Number are the same, that is, IDRIS NASIRU & 4 ORS VS. THE MINISTER OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA.

“On the Monday, 23rd May, 2022, Honourable Justice Ibrahim Mohammed and Honourable Justice O.A. Adeniyi sat and heard the same application in their respective courts and made different Orders on the same application to have the Judgment of Honourable Justice Ibrahim Mohammed set aside.

“This is bizarre, have not been heard anywhere in the history of Judiciary in Nigeria that two Judges of the same Court will sit over one suit in their respective courts on the same subject bearing the same suit number and made different orders on the same day.

“More disturbing is the fact that the application entertained by Honourable Ibrahim Mohammed on the 23rd May, 2022 wherein he made an order was also moved and entertained by Honourable Justice O.A, Adeniyi on the 27th May, 2022.”