The Court of Appeal has restrained the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and others from taking steps to frustrate the hearing of an appeal against a judgment mandating the AGF to delete Section 84 (12) from the amended Electoral Act.
A three-member panel of the court, led by Justice Rita Nosakhare Pemu, in a ruling, granted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) permission to appeal, as an interested party, against the March 18, 2022 judgment by Justice Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court in Umuahia.
The Appeal Court, in the ruling delivered by Owerri division on April 7, 2022, an enrolled copy of which The Nation sighted in Abuja on Sunday, also granted accelerated hearing in the appeal.
The ruling was on a motion marked: CA/OW/87m/2022 filed by the PDP, with Chief Nduka Edede (plaintiff in the suit decided by Justice Anyadike) and the AGF as respondents.
It reads: “Leave is hereby granted the applicant (PDP) to appeal as person interested in this appeal – CA/OW/87/2022.
“Due to the exigencies of this appeal and its constitutional colourisation, there is need to hear this matter expeditiously.
“Accordingly, the appellant is hereby given up to Tuesday 12th of April, 2022 to file its notice of appeal and the parties are to file their respective briefs of arguments within three days from the date of service of the notice and record of appeal on the respondents.
“There shall be a further three days given to the appellant to file a reply.
“Parties should desist from taking any step to frustrate the hearing of the appeal.
