While the swift intervention of the Court of Appeal may have saved five political parties from deregistration and the judiciary a huge embarrassment, the conduct of Justice Peter Lifu, which the appellate court described as judicial rascality, and the conduct of some high court judges need to be checked before they derail Nigeria’s democracy, Davidson Iriekpen writes
A day after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to de-register the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), the Court of Appeal suspended the execution of the judgment.
The appellate court, which did not mince words in conveying its dissatisfaction with the judge, described his decision as the highest form of judicial impertinence, stating that he brazenly disregarded its earlier order. The panel of justices held that Justice Lifu exhibited judicial rascality by going ahead to hear and make the order despite its order, and the pendency of the matter before the court.
The court ordered a stay of the execution of the judgment, and held that Justice Lifu’s action amounted to an affront to the hierarchy of courts.
