When two courts issue separate rulings on the same case, the law can speak with two different voices. For those caught in the middle—litigants, lawyers, police officers and ordinary Nigerians—the…
When two courts issue separate rulings on the same case, the law can speak with two different voices. For those caught in the middle—litigants, lawyers, police officers and ordinary Nigerians—the result goes far beyond simple legal confusion.
The stakes are high. Conflicting orders create uncertainty about which ruling to follow, drag out court cases and risk turning disputes into wider public crises, especially when politics are involved.
Nigeria’s courts have struggled with this problem for years. The Kano Emirate crisis, the Rivers State political dispute and recent Supreme Court decisions all showcase the damage it causes.
In May 2024, the National Judicial Council grew so concerned about the Kano situation that it called an emergency meeting. The council summoned Justice John Tsoho, chief judge of the Federal High Court, and Justice Dije Aboki, chief judge of Kano State High Court, to explain themselves.
The NJC described the competing rulings from the two courts as “very disturbing” and blamed conflicting judgements in the emirate dispute. The alarm was justified.
On May 23, 2024, Justice A.M. Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano blocked implementation of the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024 with an emergency order.
Days later, Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu of the Kano State High Court issued her own directive—protecting Muhammadu Sanusi II in the palace and barring Aminu Ado Bayero from claiming the throne.
Then came May 28. Justice S.A.
Amobeda of the Federal High Court in Kano issued yet another order, this time telling police to protect Bayero’s rights as Emir and ordering Sanusi out of Gidan Rumfa palace.
Security agencies found themselves trapped, facing three conflicting judicial orders on the same dispute. This wasn’t just a lawyer’s headache—it became a serious problem for the state itself.
The Rivers State political crisis offered a second painful lesson. On September 30, 2024, Justice I.P.
Igwe of the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt ordered the local government elections to proceed on October 5. The ruling directed officials to use the 2023 voters’ register and told security forces to provide protection.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja was heading in the opposite direction on the same electoral dispute. The competing court orders became weapons in the broader political fight between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
The pattern revealed a troubling reality: politicians can shop for favorable rulings by filing cases in courts with overlapping power. The problem extends beyond trial courts too.
At the Supreme Court’s opening ceremony for 2025/2026, the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria warned the apex court that conflicting decisions have poisoned the system for years. The message was clear: something has to change.
COURTESY: advocate.ng
