Asabe Waziri V Abeh Signature Ltd: Recuse Yourself From Presiding Over Case

Hon Justice Babangida Aliyu J of the High Court of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja was requested to recuse himself from the case with suit number CV/927/2022 between Asabe Waziri V Abeh Signature Ltd & 3 others on the ground of likelihood of bias.

Counsel to Abeh signature Ltd, and Cecil Osakwe, Victor Giwa esq., had by a motion on notice applied that Hon Justice Babangida Aliyu disqualify himself and send the case file back to the Chief Judge of FCT High Court for reassignment.

According to Giwa, Esq., the Hon. Justice Babangida had previously, in a ruling for joinder by two applicants, Adeyinka Barewa and another in July 2022 while delivering his ruling on the joinder, prejudged the 2-3rd Defendants, stating among others that “the 2nd Defendant, Victor Giwa, employed the use of thugs to enforce a Court judgement obtained against Asabe Waziri” in a suit filed against Asabe Waziri for money laundering.

Recall that Hon Justice Othman Musa of the FCT High Court had on the 17th February, 2022 in his judgement against Asabe Waziri terminated the attempted purchase of two units of 3 bed room flats from Abey signature Ltd, the developer and the first Defendant in the case. Ms Asabe Waziri, an employer of NNPC sometimes in 2021 attempted to purchase two units of three-bedroom flats from Abeh Signature Ltd, valued at two hundred and sixty million naira (N260 Million). According the report, major payments for the property were made in cash and in foreign currency. The said purchase was terminated vide a court judgement. Asabe appealed the decision of Hon Justice Musa Othman to the Court of Appeal, in suit number CA/ABJ/246/2022 the case is slated for hearing.

However, Asabe has in the same breath filed a suit against the property developer, Abey signature ltd, it Chairman, Cecil Osakwe, and their Counsel Victor Giwa, seeking among other reliefs an Order of repossession of the property, while there is an exiting appeal instituted by Asabe Waziri. Asabe is represented in this case by P.C Oli who had filed the suit before Hon Justice BaBangida , it is believed that the suit is an attempt to forum shop for a Court that can do the desire of the Claimant.