Abba-Aji Reveals US Visa Ban on Supreme Court Justices Over Imo Election Judgment

A retiring Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Uwani Abba-Aji, has disclosed that some members of the apex court were placed on a United States visa ban following a controversial judgment arising from the 2019 Imo State governorship election.

Abba-Aji made the revelation on Friday during a valedictory session organised in her honour ahead of her retirement from the Supreme Court upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Although she did not specifically identify the judgment that triggered the US travel restrictions, she said the decision had been widely misinterpreted, resulting in sanctions against members of the panel that delivered it.

“My time on the Supreme Court bench was filled with challenges, some of which have served as additional opportunities to stand firm on the side of justice, regardless of the consequences.

“One of such challenging judgments was widely misinterpreted and led to a travel ban to the United States of America being imposed on all members of the panel, a ban which still holds today,” she said.

However, Vanguard gathered that the visa restrictions were connected to the Supreme Court judgment of January 14, 2020, which removed the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Emeka Ihedioha, from office and declared the All Progressives Congress candidate, Senator Hope Uzodimma, winner of the Imo State governorship election.

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The seven-member panel, which included Abba-Aji and the current Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, overturned the earlier decisions of the Imo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, both of which had upheld Ihedioha’s victory.

In the lead judgment delivered by the then CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad, the Supreme Court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Ihedioha and issue a fresh one to Uzodimma.

The decision was based on the court’s computation of results from 388 polling units, amounting to 213,295 votes, which were presented before the election tribunal by a police officer who testified as PW-54.

The votes had been rejected by INEC, but the Supreme Court included them in its computation and subsequently declared Uzodimma the candidate with the majority of lawful votes cast.

The judgment generated widespread controversy and public criticism, particularly because Uzodimma had initially finished fourth in the election.

Ihedioha subsequently returned to the Supreme Court seeking a review of the judgment, arguing that it had occasioned a miscarriage of justice. However, the apex court dismissed his application.

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Justice Centus Nweze was the only member of the panel who dissented, insisting that Ihedioha should be reinstated as governor.

Nweze described the judgment that removed Ihedioha from office as a nullity and warned that the decision would have lasting consequences for Nigeria’s electoral jurisprudence.

“This decision of the Supreme Court will continue to haunt our electoral jurisprudence for a long time to come,” he had warned.

Speaking further at Friday’s valedictory session, Abba-Aji said the visa restrictions and other inconveniences were part of the sacrifices she made in the course of her judicial service.

“Such inconveniences were a small price to pay to preserve the chastity of justice,” she added.

Meanwhile, Kekere-Ekun, in her tribute, praised the retiring justice for her decades of service and contributions to the Nigerian Judiciary.

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She recalled that Abba-Aji began her judicial career in Borno State in 1973, serving in various administrative positions, including Clerical Assistant, Assistant Registrar, Acting Registrar and Higher Registrar.

She was elevated to the Court of Appeal on September 22, 2004, and served in different divisions, including Benin, Abuja, Ekiti, Owerri and Kaduna, before her appointment to the Supreme Court on January 8, 2019.

The CJN particularly highlighted Abba-Aji’s contributions to advancing women’s participation and leadership in the judiciary.

She noted that the retiring justice had served in leadership positions within the Federation of Muslim Women Associations of Nigeria and as President of the National Association of Women Judges Nigeria.

According to Kekere-Ekun, Abba-Aji’s career demonstrated the progress women had made in the Nigerian Judiciary and provided inspiration for younger female judicial officers.

She added that the retiring justice had helped create opportunities for other women to develop their voices and assume leadership positions within the legal profession.

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