BY Adedayo Ade-Rufus
The social media is abuzz as a result of Ibrahim Muhammad’s, chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), screening at the senate on Thursday.
The CJN, who was appointed in acting capacity in January, was confirmed on Thursday.
While responding to a question asked by Eyinnaya Abaribe, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator from Abia state, Muhammad veered off track.
The lawmaker had asked Muhammad to clarify the philosophy of the court regarding judgements given by technicalities.
“My Lord, in 2018, Akeredolu vs Abraham, I can quote the supreme court if you permit me. The supreme court said, ‘technicality in the administration of justice, shuts out justice. it is, therefore, better to have a case heard or determined on its merit than to leave the court with the shield of victory obtained on a mere technicality,” he had said.
“But my lord, just a few weeks ago, the supreme court also said and I quote, ‘The correct order to make is to declare the judgement of the trial tribunal a nullity as a result of one of the panelists not sitting on a day when proceedings were held’. And Nigerians are really worried, we would like to know where this supreme court will be situated under you?”
Responding, Muhammad defined technicality, saying there are technicalities in Nigerian laws because the laws were inheritted from the British.
He said he could not “drive a plane” because of the technicalities involved, adding that: “If something which is technical comes before the court, what we do in trial courts is to ask people who are experts in that field to come and testify. We rely on their testimony because they are experts in that field.”
Social media users have been circulating the video, making different comments.
Watch the video below:
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