The National Chairman and presidential candidate of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, Dan Nwanyanwu, has said that the ruling delivered against his party and four others by the Federal High Court will end up exposing all that has been allegedly going on in that particular court.
He described Justice Peter Lifu’s ruling, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately de-register the parties as a travesty of justice.
DAILY POST reported on Monday that Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has ordered INEC to immediately deregister the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Accord, ZLP and others from participating in the 2027 general elections over alleged constitutional breaches.
Justice Lifu issued the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a group of former lawmakers in the country.
By the judgment, former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the ADC Atiku Abubakar has no platform to stand for the forthcoming presidential election.
Similarly, Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke billed to re-contest in the August 15 governorship election on the platform of Accord Party has been kicked out of the race.
The Court of Appeal has stayed proceedings in this matter. However, despite being aware of the order, Justice Peter Lifu went ahead this morning, after issuing notices for parties to appear in court, and delivered judgment.
Speaking about the judgement on Arise News, Nwanyanwu said, “What happened today is travesty of justice. What happened today can never be accommodated in the legal practice. Without going into too much details, the proceedings in this court has been stayed by the Court of Appeal, and this particular judge, Peter Lifu, wanted to give judgment on the fifth of this month, and when he saw the stay, he couldn’t deliver the judgment. We were in court that day.
“Just this morning, about 9 o’clock, he sent notices to all the parties to be in court, and he gave the judgment. So you ask yourself, is there no more respect to the hierarchy of courts? In fact, his attention was drawn to the appeal. His attention was drawn to the proceedings in the Court of Appeal.
“He said, ‘Yes, I know, yes, I know,’ and he chose to ignore it. That is irresponsible with the greatest respect. It is something that will now expose all that has been going on within the judiciary, particularly the federal high court.”
Punch Nigeria
Daily Post