Politics and the Court of Appeal

It is most unfortunate that the proposed appointment of new judges for Nigeria’s Court of Appeal has been controversial since the announcement of a shortlist in December 2020. The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem has now found herself in an uncomfortable situation where she has to defend the integrity of her […]

Southeast missing as Senate approves nomination of 8 Supreme Court judges

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the nomination of eight Judges of the Court of Appeal as Justices of the Supreme Court. The confirmed Justices are Lawal Garba (North West), Helen Ogunwumiju (South West), Abdu Aboki (North West), I.M.M. Saulawa (North West), and Adamu Jauro (North East),. Others are Samuel Oseji (South-South), Tijjani Abubakar (North East) […]

Back on the Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin Wins Over Spirit

In March, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeal upheld an original jury finding that Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven did not infringe copyright in Spirit’s 1968 song Taurus.  Michael Skidmore, who had filed the suit in 2014 as trustee of the estate of the late Spirit guitarist Randy Wolfe, was hoping that the US […]

Court of Appeal rules on Gov Diri’s sack

The Court of Appeal has set aside the judgment that nullified the election of Douye Diri as Bayelsa State Governor. Recall that the Bayelsa State Gubernatorial Petition Tribunal had sacked Governor Douye Diri on August 17. Diri’s election was nullified due to a petition by the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP) that it was unlawfully excluded from […]

Edo 2020: Appeal Court approves APC’s direct primaries

The Court of Appeal in Benin has set aside the order of the Federal High Court from conducting the June 22 Governorship primary using direct mode. The court also ordered the continuation of the trial of the case brought by the suspended chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on jurisdiction of the court at FHC.  […]

Buhari appoints new acting Appeal Court President

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Justice Dongban Mensem as Acting President of the Court of Appeal. The decision was taken following the retirement of the outgoing President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa (CFR), on March 6, 2020 (Friday). Justice Mensem would be stepping in to act in the capacity […]

New Appeal Court Division opens in Anambra

A new division of the Court of Appeal was today inaugurated in Awka, the capital of Anambra State. The Awka Division which is the first in the State since its twenty-nine years of existence, brings to 18, the total number of Courts of Appeal in the country. Prior to the coming of the new division, […]

Appeal Court to commence sitting In Awka next month- Obiano

Governor Willie Obiano says the Court of Appeal Division in Anambra State will commence sitting on 5th February 2020. The Governor disclosed this when he inspected work on the proposed court premises in Awka. A delegation from the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Doban Mensah, had on the 6th of December, last year, visited […]

Legitimised Surveillance: Kim Dotcom’s case against GCSB

Surveillance activities and the law are often at loggerheads.  The former specialises in destroying privacy; the latter, in so far as it might be adequate, sometimes furnishes a means of preserving it.  When it comes to exposing overly-eager surveillance activity, obstacles arise.  Ironically, the privacy of agents, and the sacrosanct nature of their abuse, become […]

Court sacks Benue Deputy Speaker, orders fresh election

The Deputy Speaker Benue Assembly Christopher Adaji (Ohimini/PDP) has lost his seat after being sacked by the Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. The court affirmed the earlier decision of the National/State House of Assembly Election Tribunal sacking the lawmaker. The lead judge of the three-man panel Justice I. G. Mbaba, […]