CJN suspends hearing of Ganduje, Ortom, 5 other appeals

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Muhammad, on Monday, January 13, 2020, suspended sitting in the case of seven governors.

The appeals of Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Emeka Ihedioha of Imo, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Simon Lalong of Plateau, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, and Samuel Ortom of Benue, were suspended by the Supreme Court, after a judge on the panel took ill.

Prior to this development, the apex court had fixed Monday, January 13 for the determination of the seven outstanding governorship appeals. But the panel retired to its chamber over the congestion of the supreme court hall.

The Cable reports that in a bid to decongest the court, the registrar announced that the CJN had issued a directive, limiting the number of counsels to make appearance in a matter to five.

After reconvening and taking the appearance of counsels in the first case, the CJN announced again that they would rise because one of them is sick.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances, the court will abruptly rise because one of us is seriously sick,” Muhammed was quoted as saying.