Soludo’s Disqualification Suit: Why its dismissal may not be the end of the case

A few days ago, the supporters of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and its candidate for the just-concluded 2021 Anambra state governorship election, Professor Charles Soludo, breathed sigh of relief, following the dismissal of a suit filed by Adindu Valentine, and Egwudike Chukwuebuka, seeking the disqualification of the APGA candidate from the governorship election.

It should be recalled that the Plaintiffs had earlier approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, alleging that Professor Charles Soludo erroneously indicated in his Affidavit, that he was contesting for Aguata Constituency 2 seat, whereas he was actually contesting for the governorship position. The suit however, could not fly in the High Court, as Justice Taiwo Taiwo dismissed it, and also awarded 2 million Naira punitive costs against the Plaintiffs (source: Daily Post).

Since the report emerged a few days ago, many of the APGA supporters, have received the news as a cheery one, with some others believing that it could be the end of the case. However, a critical look at the Judicial system in Nigeria, would suggest that the dismissal of the suit, may not actually be the end of it. This is due to the likelihood that the Plaintiffs, would approach the Appeal Court to seek redress.

It is no longer a secret, that many cases in Nigeria that are political in nature, often go up to the Supreme Court, before they are put to final rest. As a result, there are equally chances that the Plaintiffs who did not receive a favourable judgement at the High Court, would approach the Appeal Court in the coming days. Arguably, it is not out of place for the Plaintiffs to do so.

It should be noted that the High Court, can be overruled by an Appeal Court, just as the Appeal Court can also be overruled by the Supreme Court. With this in mind, one should not rule out the likelihood that the Plaintiffs, could approach the Appeal Court in the coming days, to continue with their demand for the disqualification of Professor Charles Soludo, from the just-concluded 2021 Anambra state governorship election, due to the alleged error in his Affidavit.