S
ome of us, non-lawyers, are con-
fused. Our learned gentlemen
should, therefore, please explain
to us the recent, eccentric legal
developments in the country. This is
a new Nigeria of weird happenings. A
Supreme Court verdict entertains no
appeal is an age-long dictum we know.
What this Emeka Ihedioha’s review suit
in Imo seeks to achieve is unclear. A
novice’s highest expectation is that the
Supreme Court would, at best, interpret
the judgment earlier given. Not sit
for a review. People have argued that
Ihedioha didn’t get justice from the Su-
preme Court’s earlier judgment. That’s
bad and a big disappointment indeed,
if true. But isn’t that how far the case
should go? Or will the Supreme Court
reverse itself as unknown to history?
The most controversial election
verdict given in Nigeria till date, to my
mind, was the 1979 UPN/NPN Twelve
Two Third presidential election verdict.
No protest was made by the UPN for
repeal. It would have been bizarre to
do so. Nigeria was sane to a reasonable
degree at that time and the judiciary
was also reasonably steadfast. I may
be too flippant or legally illiterate to
know that there had been instances of
the Supreme Court’s verdict over-
turns before, if there were. Such cases
couldn’t have been popular. This Imo
drama is the first which many have
seen and are watching like a thriller.
The impression given with the current
happenings is that the Supreme Court
is pandering to the pressure of street
protests. That leaves a bad taste in the
mouth, certainly.
–Ihedioha’s supporters can do better
for him than what they have done so
far. They haven’t helped matters. They
put at risk the little integrity left of the
Supreme Court. The apex court should
be allowed to reflect on its mistake
rather than arm-twist it to err the sec-
ond time on the same issue. Injustice
can be painful if actually Ihedioha
and his supporters noticed it in the
annulment of his election. It is another
manifest flaw of the Supreme Court
whose image is already half soiled.
But the apex court cannot afford to
set a bad precedent of reversing itself.
The propensity is high for any such
overturn to set Nigeria ablaze. Ihedioha
has another beautiful chance in 2023,
just four close years like tomorrow,
if he sustains the current tempo of
love around him. This suggestion
is made with the best of intentions.
Any further slip in March on his case
by the Supreme Court would mean
nailing Nigeria’s coffin, finally. The
next step will be for everyone to start
singing dirges.
