Politics
Citizens are Superior to Supreme Court – Legal Practitioner
The last has not been heard on the intrigues of the February 25, Presidential Elections, though terminal date of the President Mohammadu Buhari administration remains May 29, 2023.
Recall that fearing that the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) might not keep to the letter and spirit of constitutional provisions, some concerned citizens have approached the Federal High Court, in Abuja for judicial interpretation.
Now, the Presidential Candidate of the All Grassroots Alliance in the 2019 elections, Chuks Nwachukwu, has thrown new constitutional dimension on the ongoing trial of at the PEPT, warning that Section Two of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, does not subject the constitution to the law courts, but the citizenry.
He took to his verified tweeter handle, @NwachukwuChuks to assert that the courts have to save themselves from looming danger, because the people to whom power belongs might opt to take their power, should they feel aggrieved with the judicial pronouncements of the court on election matters.
A legal practitioner focused on transformational leadership, in a voice note posted on his tweeter handle, Nwachukwu pointed out that the people can overrule the courts, thought this must be done in line with the constitution.
He pointed out that this might consume even the courts.
Venting his thought, Nwachukwu said, “The Constitution says ‘power belongs to the people’. It didn’t say that power belongs to the Supreme Court. It says power belongs to the people from whom government derives the authority to govern through this constitution.
“So, if government goes against the constitution and the Supreme Court, you know, pretends to legalise the unconstitutionality, there is an automatic reference to the people to who are the owners of the power to assert themselves in the land, in any polity. That’s my own.
“And the constitution makes that part, that Chapter Two, …, not subject to interpretation. Because interpretation is a form of abridgement. If I can interpret, I can abridge.
“The constitution says it (the court) cannot interpret it. So, if they give a decision that does not go with the people, the people have the right to intervene, constitutionally, because they are the owners of the power.
“And the consequences might consume the courts themselves…”.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has explained that the persistent crisis and legal disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party compelled him to defect to the All Progressives Congress.
The governor’s defection was formally announced on Monday by his deputy, Mani Mummuni, after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Gusau.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the move was described as a necessary step taken in the interest of the state and supported by political stakeholders across Zamfara.
SEE ALSO: JUST IN: PDP Crisis Deepens as Appeal Court Upholds Ban on Ibadan Convention
According to the statement, Governor Lawal had remained committed to the PDP despite the ongoing leadership crisis and had made several efforts to reconcile factions within the party.
However, attempts to achieve peace and unity reportedly failed, leading to prolonged legal battles.
The development followed a judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court.
The earlier judgment had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The governor was said to have informed political stakeholders during a series of meetings that he would make a final decision about his political future after the appellate court delivered its ruling.
Following the judgment, Lawal concluded that joining the APC would better position him to continue what he described as the “Zamfara Rescue and Rebuild Mission.”
His defection marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Zamfara State and could influence political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has handed a significant setback to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, dismissing his appeal challenging a Federal High Court ruling that questioned his eligibility to contest the upcoming governorship election.
A three-member panel delivered a unanimous judgment on Monday, affirming that the trial court acted correctly when it allowed Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, the plaintiff, to amend his originating summons.
ALSO READ: No Shake-Up in Ondo: Aiyedatiwa Denies Plot To Remove Deputy Gov
Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, who read the lead judgment, said the governor failed to show that the High Court’s decision caused any miscarriage of justice or denied him a fair hearing.
The appeal was therefore dismissed for lacking merit, and the court awarded ₦2 million in costs against Aiyedatiwa.
The ruling reinforces the November 24, 2025, Federal High Court decision in Akure, which granted Egbuwalo permission to challenge Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility for re-election.
Earlier, the Court of Appeal also rejected an application by Aiyedatiwa to set aside a January 27, 2026, order staying proceedings in the case before the Federal High Court.
The appellate court clarified that the stay was a lawful exercise of its jurisdiction aimed at protecting the integrity of the proceedings.
The panel further emphasized that attempting to overturn its own order would be akin to sitting on appeal over its own decision.
The governor’s remaining option, the court noted, is to challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court. Another ₦2 million in costs was awarded against Aiyedatiwa.
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party has deepened following a ruling by the Court of Appeal in Abuja which upheld a ban on the party’s proposed national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
A three-man panel of the appellate court on Monday dismissed an appeal filed by a faction of the party led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear a suit concerning the controversial convention.
The Turaki-led faction had approached the Court of Appeal after a Federal High Court barred the party from holding its planned national convention scheduled for November 14 and 15, 2025.
SEE MORE: Fubara Moves to Rebuild Cabinet as R/Assembly Screens Nine Commissioner Nominees
The lower court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising or validating the proposed convention.
However, delivering judgment, the appellate court ruled that the Federal High Court had the authority to entertain the case, rejecting the argument that the matter was purely an internal affair of the party.
According to the court, the appellants could not present what it described as a clear violation of the party’s constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as merely an internal party issue.
The panel subsequently dismissed the appeal and awarded a cost of N2 million against the appellants.
The ruling is part of judgments delivered in nine harmonised appeals filed by the Turaki-led faction over the dispute surrounding the convention.
The latest court decision is expected to further intensify the internal wrangling within the opposition party as it continues to grapple with leadership disputes and preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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