Judiciary

Sep
06
2026
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By Abia ThinkTank
A Fresh Case For Reducing The LLB Programme From Five To Three Years: Addressing The Bar Finals Crisis And Aligning With Global Standards – By Charles Ude, Esq

A Fresh Case For Reducing The LLB Programme From Five To Three Years: Addressing The Bar Finals Crisis And Aligning With Global Standards – By Charles Ude, Esq

Columns/Opinions/Letters, Education, Judiciary
A FRESH CASE FOR REDUCING THE LLB PROGRAMME FROM FIVE TO THREE YEARS: ADDRESSING THE BAR FINALS CRISIS AND ALIGNING WITH GLOBAL STANDARDS By Charles Ude, EsqLegal Practitioner and AuthorEmail: Charlesude2014@gmail.com A CONGRATULATORY AND WELCOMING MESSAGE Before I roll up my sleeves and plunge into the substance of this paper, it is fitting, indeed, it would be my great pleasure to pause and offer a resounding salute to Mrs. Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN, on her historic election and assumption of office as the 33rd President of the Nigerian Bar Association. She is the first woman ever to be elected to that…
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Aug
30
2026
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By Abia ThinkTank
WHEN THE WIG IS FOR SALE – What VDM Should Have Told The NBA About Our Lords, Our Silks, And Our Silence- By Charles Ude, Esq

WHEN THE WIG IS FOR SALE – What VDM Should Have Told The NBA About Our Lords, Our Silks, And Our Silence- By Charles Ude, Esq

Judiciary, Columns/Opinions/Letters
WHEN THE WIG IS FOR SALEWhat VDM Should Have Told the NBA About Our Lords, Our Silks, and Our Silence By Charles Ude, Esq.Legal Practitioner and AttorneyPort Harcourt, 28 August 2026 The 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association will be remembered for one panel, “Known Gunmen or Unknown Gunmen,” and one man who was never supposed to be there: Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM). He told a hall of 15,000 lawyers, “I am not here to teach you law.” Then he cited the judge abducted on 26 July in Kebbi after travelling from Sokoto,…
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Aug
19
2026
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By Abia ThinkTank
Executive Power, Property Rights, And Due Process: A Legal Appraisal Of The FCT Minister’s Demolition Directives In The Wake Of The Abuja Floods – By Charles Ude(Legal Practitioner And Author)

Executive Power, Property Rights, And Due Process: A Legal Appraisal Of The FCT Minister’s Demolition Directives In The Wake Of The Abuja Floods – By Charles Ude(Legal Practitioner And Author)

Abuja, Columns/Opinions/Letters, Judiciary
Executive Power, Property Rights, and Due Process: A Legal Appraisal of the FCT Minister's Demolition Directives in the Wake of the Abuja Floods By Charles Ude, Esq.Legal Practitioner and Author Introduction: The Floodwaters as a Catalyst for Legal Scrutiny The recent flooding that has ravaged parts of Abuja, particularly the high-brow Maitama District, has brought into sharp focus the perennial tension between executive action and the rule of law. Following his inspection of flood-affected areas on 17 August 2026, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ordered the immediate demolition of all structures found to be obstructing designated…
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Jul
28
2026
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By Abia ThinkTank
Appeal Court Sets Aside Judgement Ordering INEC To Deregister ADC, Four Others

Appeal Court Sets Aside Judgement Ordering INEC To Deregister ADC, Four Others

Judiciary, News Flash, Politics
Appeal Court Sets Aside Judgment Ordering INEC To Deregister ADC, Four Others Parties The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set aside the June 15 judgment of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties for allegedly failing to meet the 25 per cent constitutional threshold for continued existence as political parties. In a series of unanimous judgments on Tuesday, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Abba Mohammed, held that the Federal High Court…
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Jul
16
2026
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By Abia ThinkTank
Court Bars FRSC Officials From State, LG Roads

Court Bars FRSC Officials From State, LG Roads

Judiciary, News Flash
Court Bars FRSC Officials From State, LG Roads The Federal High Court sitting in Kano has ruled that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) lacks the authority to operate on state and local government roads. The court has also declared the actions in Kano metropolis unlawful and a violation of citizens’ fundamental rights. Delivering judgment on Thursday in the case filed by Kano-based lawyer, Abba Hikima, Esq. against the FRSC, Hon. Justice M. S. Shuaibu held that the commission’s officers acted outside their jurisdiction when they stopped, questioned, and delayed motorists on township roads in July 2025. The court declared…
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Jul
16
2026
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By Abia ThinkTank
Gbajabiamila Sue’s PFIPC’s Adeyemi For N15 Billion Over Alleged Defamation

Gbajabiamila Sue’s PFIPC’s Adeyemi For N15 Billion Over Alleged Defamation

Judiciary, Crime, News Flash
Gbajabiamila Sues PFIPC’s Adeyemi For N15 Billion Over Alleged Defamation Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, has sued Adeniyi Adeyemi, director-general of the controversial presidential foreign intervention promotion council (PFIPC), for alleged defamation. In the suit filed before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court, Gbajabiamila is seeking N10 billion as general damages, N5 billion as aggravated damages, N200 million as the cost of the action, and an order compelling Adeyemi to publish a full retraction and apology in five national newspapers. BACKGROUNDOn July 7, Gbajabiamila threatened a N10 billion defamation suit against Adeyemi over allegations of…
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Jul
16
2026
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By Abia ThinkTank
Appeal Court Reinstates INEC’s 2027 Election Timetable

Appeal Court Reinstates INEC’s 2027 Election Timetable

Judiciary, News Flash, Politics
Appeal Court reinstates INEC’s 2027 election timetable The Court of Appeal in Abuja has restored the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, overturning an earlier Federal High Court decision that invalidated key aspects of the electoral calendar. In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel on Thursday, the appellate court ruled in favour of INEC’s appeal, holding that the electoral commission acted within its legal authority in issuing timelines to guide political parties and other stakeholders ahead of the 2027 polls. The decision effectively nullifies the May 20 judgment of…
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Jul
14
2026
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By Abia ThinkTank
Appeal Court Bars INEC From Recognising Mark-Led ADC Congresses

Appeal Court Bars INEC From Recognising Mark-Led ADC Congresses

Judiciary, News Flash, Politics
Appeal Court Bars INEC From Recognising Mark-led ADC Congresses In a split decision of two-to-one, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Monday affirmed the judgment restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or participating in any state congresses organised by committees appointed by the Senator David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). A three-member panel of the appellate court, in a lead verdict delivered by Justice Okon Abang, said it found no reason to set aside the restraining order the Federal High Court in Abuja had issued against the Mark-led ADC on April…
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Jul
02
2026
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By Abia ThinkTank
The Lokoja Ruling: Facts, Not Fury – By Pastor Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

The Lokoja Ruling: Facts, Not Fury – By Pastor Prof Chukwuemeka Ifegwu Eke

Columns/Opinions/Letters, Judiciary, Politics
THE LOKOJA RULING: FACTS, NOT FURY I read a commentary driven more by political anger, ethnic and religious prejudice, and personal attacks than by a careful examination of the ruling. Then read another legal analysis by a respected luminary. I decided to spend some days studying the truth devoid of colorations. Here are the verifiable facts. The Federal High Court in Lokoja had earlier ordered INEC to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC. On 26 June 2026, Justice Isah Dashen set that judgment aside after the Peace Movement Party argued that it had previously submitted the disputed “Victory Sign” logo…
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Jun
29
2026
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By Abia ThinkTank
NDC – Setting Aside An Irregular Or Default Judgement Is Not Sitting On Appeal – It Is Upholding Fair Hearing And Constitutional Order – By Charles Ude, Esq

NDC – Setting Aside An Irregular Or Default Judgement Is Not Sitting On Appeal – It Is Upholding Fair Hearing And Constitutional Order – By Charles Ude, Esq

Columns/Opinions/Letters, Judiciary, Politics
NDC - SETTING ASIDE AN IRREGULAR OR DEFAULT JUDGMENT IS NOT SITTING ON APPEAL — IT IS UPHOLDING FAIR HEARING AND CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER The recent ruling by the Federal High Court, Lokoja (per Justice Isah Dashen), setting aside its own judgment of December 2025 , which had directed INEC to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) , does not undermine democracy. On the contrary, it strengthens it. It is important to rightly emphasis on the importance of finality and the doctrine of functus officio, it fundamentally misunderstands the legal position where the earlier judgment was either a default judgment or…
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