Nigerian judges targeted by US visa ban
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Vanguard
Nigerian Supreme Court Justice Uwani Abba-Aji has revealed that members of a Supreme Court panel are still subject to a US visa ban. The measure is reportedly linked to their January 2020 ruling overturning Emeka Ihedioha’s election in favour of Hope Uzodimma, according to Vanguard.
Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, a retiring judge of Nigeria’s Supreme Court, said on Friday 6 November that some judges of the country’s highest court were subject to a US visa ban. Speaking at a ceremony marking her departure, she explained that the measure followed a Supreme Court ruling that was widely misinterpreted, according to Vanguard.
The ruling concerned the dispute over the 2019 governorship election in Imo State, Vanguard reports. On 14 January 2020, a seven-member Supreme Court panel overturned the victory of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emeka Ihedioha, and ordered the swearing-in of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hope Uzodimma, who had initially come fourth.
The Supreme Court notably added 213,295 votes from 388 polling stations to the results, presented by a police officer before the election tribunal but challenged by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The ruling sparked reactions and protests, according to Vanguard.
The revelation comes after several judicial developments concerning Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, including the invalidation of Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy by a Nigerian court on 5 November and the upholding of his candidacy announced on 6 November.
