10 EVENTS THAT COULD SHAPE JUDICIARY IN 2023

This year, 2023, the judiciary will be busy with a lot of cases and events that would shape the development of law and jurisprudence in…

By Abdullahi Ibrahim 

This year, 2023, the judiciary will be busy with a lot of cases and events that would shape the development of law and jurisprudence in Nigeria and its democracy.

Election disputes moving to tribunals

The 2023 general elections are expected to witness some results that would push some contestants to the courts either in the councillorship, state assembly, governorship, national assembly and presidential elections.

Following the inauguration of the 307-member elections petitions tribunals on November 7, 2022 by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayoode Ariwoola, the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, began a training workshop to equip them for the task ahead.

Already, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has disclosed that over 600 cases have been filed against the commission over the primaries of political parties ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Most of the cases will end at the Supreme Court, especially governorship and presidential election disputes, and all cases arising from pre-election disputes.

However, the Court of Appeal has original jurisdiction under Section 285(1) (a) of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999, to determine disputes arising from National Assembly elections.

Boko Haram terrorists’ trial

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to prosecute fresh Boko Haram suspects being held at the military facility in Kainji, Niger State.

The Solicitor-General and the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, stated this recently, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari has since provided funds for the commencement of the exercise within the first quarter of the year.

The federal government had similarly in February 2018 conducted a similar exercise where about 1,669 suspects, detained in the facility, were tried.   

FG’s appeal against Kanu’s release

the correctional centre in Kuje for security reasons and to be discharged from the allegations.

Chinese national’s murder trial to continue

The trial of Geng Quanrong, a Chinese national, indicted over the murder of his girlfriend in Kano, Ummukulsum Sani Buhari, in September 2022 over her alleged refusal to marry him, is expected to progress in the year with hearing set to begin January 11.

A magistrates’ court in Kano had remanded Geng at the correctional centre over the incident.