Justice Mohammed Yunusa, a federal judge who sacked all Labour Party candidates in the 2023 election, was once recommended for compulsory retirement by the National Judicial Council (NJC) after he was found culpable of bribery charges.
Yunusa stood trial for three years before the NJC – which statutorily performs disciplinary functions on judicial officers – suspended him in 2016 in connection with the bribery charges pressed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Premium Times reported in 2021.
The EFCC filed the case before the Lagos State High Court against Yunusa who at the time was serving at the Enugu Division of the Federal High Court.
President Muhammadu Buhari declined to ratify the NJC recommendation, putting the issue on hold for five years and forcing the judicial body to reinstate Mr Yunusa.
Controversial judge Mohammed Yunusa nullified the participation of Governor-elect Alex Otti in the March 18 governorship and state House of Assembly elections.
In a ruling that is already being contested by the country’s notable legal minds, Mr Yunusa declared that the Labour Party in Abia State did not submit its party register to INEC 30 days before the primary elections and thereby rendered the nominations of the party’s candidates void.
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has opined that the judge’s ruling erred in law in a way that could subject the judiciary to public ridicule
“This type of judgement has the potential of exposing the judiciary to avoidable public ridicule,” he tweeted on Friday.
“The judgement of the Federal High Court in Kano cannot stand in law. The issue of submission of a party’s membership register to INEC cannot be the basis for disqualification of candidates.
It cannot be the basis for nullifying primaries across the country.It is also belated,” he added.
Based on this Judgment Order, this case was filed on the 11th day of May, 2023.
Alex Otti emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of LP during primaries held in June 2022.
Section 285 of the Constitution states that all pre-election matters must be filed within 14 days of event. pic.twitter.com/e6UoASDW4x
— Inibehe Effiong (@InibeheEffiong) May 19, 2023
