The National Chairman of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Hon. Uchenna Nnadi, has condemned what he described as “judicial rascality” following a recent judgment by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court. Addressing members of the press in an emergency conference, Nnadi expressed dismay over what he called a “conflicting judgment” delivered by the same judge who, just 10 days earlier, had ruled differently on a similar case.
In the initial judgment, Justice Lifu ruled on a matter filed by the APP against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), former members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The judge held that the PDP’s National Legal Adviser could not appoint legal representation for the Rivers State chapter of the party, a decision backed by previous rulings of other judges.
However, in a surprising turn of events, the same Justice Lifu reversed his earlier stance in a case involving the legal representation of the All Progressives Congress (APC). This time, Lifu held that the national leadership of the APC had the authority to appoint legal counsel for its state chapter, and that the state chapter was not a juristic person. Nnadi pointed out the sharp contradiction between this ruling and the judge’s earlier judgment, accusing Lifu of engaging in “judicial confusion, conflict of decision, judicial impertinence, and judicial rascality.”
“Just 10 days ago, the same Justice Lifu ruled that a political party’s national secretariat cannot appoint legal representation for its state chapter, only to contradict himself today by ruling in favor of the APC’s national leadership,” Nnadi said. “This inconsistency is laughable, but it has gone too far. It must stop.”
Nnadi also criticized the Federal High Court’s role in political cases, accusing some judges of turning the court into a “shopping mall where politicians shop for orders, injunctions, and judgments like commodities.” He called on the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, to take immediate action to restore the integrity of the court.
In another legal matter involving local government elections in Rivers State, Nnadi noted that Justice Lifu attempted to block the upcoming election, citing the Electoral Act instead of the Rivers State Local Government Law. He claimed the judge deliberately misrepresented the facts, which led to the nullification of a key section of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) Law, even though similar provisions exist in the Electoral Act itself.
“How can the same legal principle apply differently depending on the law in question?” Nnadi questioned, pointing out the inconsistency between rulings regarding the RSIEC Law and the Electoral Act.
Nnadi reaffirmed the validity of a prior judgment by Justice I.P.C. Igwe of the Rivers State High Court, which directed RSIEC to proceed with the local government election scheduled for October 5, 2024. He stressed that this judgment, being from a court of coordinate jurisdiction, cannot be overridden by Justice Lifu’s ruling.
He urged the people of Rivers State to disregard any attempts to halt the election and turn out in full force to cast their votes. “APP calls on its members and the people of Rivers State to exercise their democratic rights on October 5, without fear of intimidation.”
Concluding the press briefing, Nnadi called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the National Judicial Council to urgently intervene and reform the Federal High Court, warning that if nothing is done, public confidence in the judiciary will erode, leading to a potential state of anarchy.
“If the Federal High Court continues on this path, its judgments will soon be seen as mere political opinions,” Nnadi said. “The judiciary must be saved to protect our democracy.”
The APP Chairman’s remarks underscore growing concerns about the integrity of the judiciary and its role in Nigeria’s political landscape, especially as the local government elections in Rivers State approach.
