On Monday, the Supreme Court denied the appeal that Senator Smart Adeyemi had brought to contest Usman Ododo’s nomination as the All Progressives Congress’ candidate for governor of Kogi State.
Adeyemi had filed an appeal with the Supreme Court after losing in the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal, but the court rejected it due to its lack of substance.
“Unreasonable, vexatious, not triable, and against the provisions of Sections 132 and 133(1) of the Evidence Act 2011,” the court characterized the two grounds submitted in the appeal.
In the lead opinion of the supreme court, Justice Emmanuel Agim also mandated that Adeyemi give N1 million in damages to the first and third respondents in the case.
He declared, “The appellant never claimed that the conclusions of the two lower courts were unsupported by evidence. Until there is a claim that the findings were erroneous, this court lacks the authority to review the facts submitted in the Notice of Appeal.
Overall, this appeal is unsuccessful. The first and third respondents—the APC and the governorship candidate—will get N1 million in costs from the appellant.
The practice of parties going on TV stations to discuss pending appeals was also deemed disrespectful by the court.
“You go saying on television that the appeal should go in your favor if the court is a court of justice,” he remarked.
The court disapproves of this behavior. After hiring a lawyer, take a break.
“The purpose of this lengthy conversation is to prevent you from saying things that are illogical.”
