The National Chairman and presidential candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Dan Nwanyanwu, has declared that the judgement delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja against his party and four others, will expose all the shenanigans that have been allegedly going on in that particular court.
This was as Nwanyanwu described Justice Lifu’s judgement which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to de-register the five parties as a travesty of justice.
Justice Lifu had in a judgement that left many legal minds dumbfounded, ordered INEC to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and ZLP from participating in the 2027 general elections over alleged constitutional breaches.
This was despite the fact that the Court of Appeal granted an order directing the lower court for a stay of proceedings in the matter pending the determination of the case before it.
Justice Peter Lifu would have none of such as he went ahead after issuing notices for parties to appear in court, and delivered judgment.
Justice Lifu issued the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a group of former lawmakers in the country.
Expectedly, if the judgment remains unchallenged, the presidential candidate of ADC and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar would not be able to stand for the 2027 presidential election.
In the same vein, Osun state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke who is standing for re-election on August 15, on the platform of Accord Party has been legally knocked off the race.
However, while speaking on the judgement by Justice Lifu when he featured on Arise Television programme, Nwanyanwu pointedly said that what took place in Justice Lifu’s court was travesty of justice.
In the words of Nwanyanwu; “What happened today can never be accommodated in the legal practice. Without going into too much details, the proceedings in this court had 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, at 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 at the Federal High Court,” he stressed.
