Ubani warns of judicial crisis over politicians’ twist of S-Court judgments

By Henry OjeluA Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Ubani, has raised an alarm over what he describes as a “dangerous and growing trend” of deliberately misinterpreting Supreme Court judgements in Nigeria.In a strongly worded statement, Dr.

Ubani warned that the misrepresentation of final court decisions by litigants, especially in politically charged cases, poses a serious threat to the country’s legal system and democratic stability.According to Dr. Ubani, recent high-profile legal disputes have exposed a pattern where parties to suits manipulate the Supreme Court’s pronouncements to suit personal or political agendas.



This, he says, has created confusion in the public domain, undermined judicial authority, and deepened existing political conflicts.He cited several notable cases, including the political crisis in Rivers State involving Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the State House of Assembly, where parties have issued conflicting interpretations of the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding legislative actions and alleged political agreements.According to him, “In the leadership dispute between Mr.

Samuel Anyanwu and Mr. Okorie Okoye within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), both factions claimed victory after the court’s pronouncement, further fueling internal strife.“Similarly, in the Labour Party, factions continue to contest the legitimacy and tenure of the party chairman, despite a clear ruling by the apex court.

”Dr. Ubani warned that this trend undermines the Supreme Court’s finality, promotes endless conflict, and weakens public confidence in the judiciary.He emphasized that the authority and integrity of the judiciary are eroded when final decisions are treated as mere opinions rather than binding mandates.

When court decisions no longer bring resolution, he added, the relevance of the judiciary itself is called into question.To address this, Dr. Ubani proposed several urgent measures.

He called on the Supreme Court to issue clearer and more explicit judgements, including detailed consequential orders to eliminate room for mischief.He also urged legal practitioners to uphold ethical standards by advising their clients truthfully, rather than spinning judgements for partisan advantage.He also advocated for active enforcement of contempt proceedings against parties who deliberately misinterpret or defy court rulings.

Dr. Ubani concluded by stating that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man, and that preserving the sanctity of its decisions is essential for sustaining democracy.He called on lawyers, litigants, political actors, and the media to respect and uphold the authority of the Supreme Court to maintain peace, order, and the rule of law in Nigeria.

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