Appeal Court CTC On Kano Gov’ship Ruling Not Clerical Error – Odinkalu

A former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, has said that the confusion in the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Appeal Court judgment on the Kano State governorship election dispute is not a clerical error.
Odinkalu stated this while commenting on the confusion which trailed the release of the certified true copy of the judgment during a live television interview last Wednesday.
The appellate court, last Friday, in Abuja reaffirmed the sacking of the state Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) by the governorship elections petitions tribunal in Kano.
But the concluding paragraphs on Page 67 of the CTC of the Appeal Court ruling set aside the tribunal judgement, which had earlier sacked the governor.
“The confusion is not a clerical error. That was the old law that I was taught. No judiciary that is credible will produce this kind of judgment and certify it. This is not coming from a Customary Court, it is not coming from an Area Court, it is not even coming from a High Court.
“This is the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, the second highest court in the country. Any lawyer worth their onions should be scandalised by it, irrespective of whatever side you take.”
The appellate court had subsequently admitted that it was a clerical error and recalled the CTC, but Odinkalu said he did not believe the narrative.
“The confusion is not a clerical error. That was the old law that I was taught. No judiciary that is credible will produce this kind of judgment and certify it. This is not coming from a Customary Court, it is not coming from an Area Court, it is not even coming from a High Court.
“This is the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, the second highest court in the country. Any lawyer worth their onions should be scandalised by it irrespective of whatever side you take.”