The New Nigeria People’s Party has condemned a recent judgment delivered by Justice Bello Kawu of the FCT High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, describing it as a textbook example of judicial rascality and a dangerous low in Nigeria’s judicial history.
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In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bamofin Ladipo Johnson, the NNPP accused the court of acting with audacious disregard for established legal hierarchy and the doctrine of stare decisis, alleging that opponents of the party are using the judiciary as a tool to destabilize the NNPP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party vowed to appeal the judgment, expressing confidence that the appellate courts would rectify what it described as an anomaly.
Johnson alleged that a group of expelled party members, allegedly working in concert with Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, had approached the FCT High Court seeking a fresh judicial review of a matter that is already pending before the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division.
He described this as a blatant disregard for the rule of sub judice — the legal principle that matters currently before a court should not be the subject of parallel proceedings elsewhere.
“A group of expelled members, allegedly working with Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, approached the FCT High Court seeking a fresh judicial review of a matter pending before the Court of Appeal, Owerri. It is a blatant disregard for the rule of sub judice,” Johnson stated.
He accused the FCT High Court of attempting to sit on appeal over a decision of another High Court in Abia State, arguing that courts of coordinate jurisdiction cannot review or overturn each other’s decisions — a function reserved exclusively for appellate courts.
Johnson raised serious concerns about the conduct of the proceedings, alleging that the court proceeded to deliver judgment despite the party not being properly served with court processes.
He disclosed that the NNPP had filed an affidavit before the court stating that substituted service was effected at an address not recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission, but claimed the court ignored this submission.
“The party had filed an affidavit stating that substituted service was effected at an address not recognized by INEC, but the court ignored it,” Johnson said, describing the court’s decision to proceed in those circumstances as a fatal blow to the principle of fair hearing, one of the cornerstones of Nigerian constitutional law.
The NNPP characterized the judgment as part of a broader conspiracy by opponents to hijack the party ahead of the 2027 elections. Johnson described it as a grand scheme of desperation orchestrated by forces determined to destabilize the party at a critical time in the electoral cycle.
“This judgment is part of a grand scheme of desperation by opponents to destabilize the party ahead of the 2027 elections,” he stated.
Johnson warned that the judgment poses a direct threat to democracy and the credibility of the 2027 elections, adding that it would further erode the confidence of both Nigerians and the international community in the country’s judiciary.
“This judgment will further erode the confidence of Nigerians and the international community in our judiciary,” the NNPP spokesman declared.
Despite the setback, the NNPP said it has already initiated steps to appeal the judgment and expressed unwavering confidence that the appellate courts would correct the situation.
Johnson urged NNPP members and supporters across the country not to be discouraged by the development, describing the party as a fortress that cannot be penetrated by what he termed judicial manipulation.
“Our party remains a fortress. This judgment is merely a temporary detour. We are confident that the appellate courts will rectify this anomaly,” Johnson stated.
The case raises several important legal questions, including whether a High Court can entertain a matter that is the subject of proceedings before the Court of Appeal under the sub judice rule; whether one High Court can effectively review or interfere with the decision of another High Court of coordinate jurisdiction; whether substituted service at an address not recognized by INEC constitutes proper service on a political party; and whether the right to fair hearing was adequately protected in the proceedings.
These questions are expected to form the core of the NNPP’s grounds of appeal when the matter proceeds to the appellate court.
The NNPP, which emerged as a significant political force in the 2023 general elections under the presidential candidacy of former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has been embroiled in internal leadership disputes involving rival factions. The party’s ability to resolve these disputes and present a united front will be critical to its prospects in the 2027 elections, particularly as the electoral calendar tightens with INEC’s revised timetable requiring parties to submit membership registers and conduct primaries within the coming months.
Neither Dr. Boniface Aniebonam nor the expelled members referenced in the NNPP’s statement have publicly responded to the allegations as of the time of this report. Justice Bello Kawu’s judgment speaks for itself through the court’s record.
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