Deregistration: What Appeal Court should do to Justice Lifu – Maxwell Okpara

Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

Human rights advocate Maxwell Okpara has argued that the Court of Appeal ought to have gone beyond granting a stay of execution and directed Justice Peter Lifu to stop presiding over cases as a judge.

Okpara made the remark on Wednesday while appearing on Arise Television’s Morning Show.

He was reacting to the controversial ruling delivered by Justice Lifu, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and several other political parties.

The lawyer’s comments come shortly after the Court of Appeal in Abuja suspended the enforcement of the judgment pending the determination of the substantive appeal.

Expressing concern over the development, Okpara questioned the implications of the ruling on public confidence in the judiciary.

He maintained that stronger disciplinary measures should have accompanied the appellate court’s decision.

According to him, the circumstances surrounding the judgment raise serious concerns about judicial conduct and accountability.

Okpara further wondered what practical lessons law students undergoing internship under the judge would learn from the recent developments.

He insisted that members of the judiciary must always uphold the highest standards of professionalism in order to protect the integrity and credibility of the legal system.

“I want to also thank Court of Appeal for coming to rescue judiciary. It’s not enough for Court of Appeal to describe Justice Lifus’ judgment as a rascality.

“The Appeal Court should have also gone ahead making an order directing that he should stop sitting until the National Judicial Council, NJC, looks at the circumstances that gave rise for a lower court to jettison the decision of a higher court and give a ruling.

“So, now the question there is that for those law students who are on court attachment in that court, what are they learning,” he asked.

His remarks add to the growing debate generated by the Federal High Court judgment and the subsequent intervention of the Court of Appeal in the matter involving the ADC and other affected political parties.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.