GOD A NIGERIAN: Justice M G Umar Judgement
The chequered political and leadership history of Nigeria has unveiled some messiac surprises that brings hope and succour to Nigerians( Please, Recall History, Pre and Post Independence)
The political atmosphere was charged starting from the obnoxious amendment of the Electoral Act and INEC overreach. While I don’t want to put my money on the supposition that, the Electoral Act and INEC overreach was targeted against some opposition politicians, a statement of fact is that, the same lawmakers who made the laws became victims, in a proverbial saying that the hunter became the hunted.
Deep in the rounds of parties primaries with alot of executive and political rascality, witchcraftism, complaints of undemocratic practices which undermines the foundations of the tenet and moral integrity of democracy, comes a latent hope.
Suffice, a house built on a faulty foundation becomes defective from day one. The cries and lamentations of politicians after spending an aggregate Billions of Naira whom were disenfranchised without no leeway to exercise their democratic right as a compensation of their political belief and independence,then boom, HOPE !
One of the critical arms of Government that’s fundamental to the principles of checks and balances, the bedrock of democracy and democratic principles, where might shouldn’t be right, the JUDICIARY has left Nigerians with no hope. As a matter of fact, the myth is that it has been pocketed by some individuals, therefore, Nigeria has lost hope in the last hope of the common man.
However, because God is a Nigerian, despite the hopelessness, sent a Honourable Justice M G Umar on a rescue mission, to give political hope to the hopeless, to let persons in position of grace and authority know and repent that if you are not careful, the pit you dug for others maybe a Waterloo for you…
In what I call a political messiac judgement, Honourable Justice MG Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja delivered this judgement that have given sleep and a lifeline to our political and democratic integrity, thereby opening a window for an interesting 2027 election year.
The crux of the Judgement : Federal High Court delivers Judgement that now allows those that lost primary elections to defect to another political party and still be substituted as candidates to participate in 2027 general elections. The Court nullified the electoral act provisions that ordered for 21 days submission of register before primary election and exempted Primary elections for substitution of new candidates from the timeline.
The court said fresh registers can be submitted and aspirants on it can contest the substitution election*
2. The Court also nullified inec revised timetable on Primary elections and said inec can’t force dates for internal party affairs on the political parties
3. Court nullified inec decision to abridge the time within which parties can submit the particulars of their nominated candidates
4. Court nullified inec powers to reduce the time for substitution of candidates
5. Court said inec can’t publish the final list of candidates outside the minimum 60 days timeline
6. Court nullified inec revised timetable for conduct of primary elections, submission of candidates, publication of particulars, substitution of candidates and also the issue of 21 days register timeline.
The nature of this judgement, in the spirit and the letter(in litteris and Ratio legis) of the law, is the key element where check and balances exist in governance.
While the politicians are appraising the judgement with the view of taking all the inherent advantages, I charge INEC not to appeal this Judgement.
Furthermore, I pray that the fifth columnist should allow our Judiciary to function independently.
Finally, I urge all justices to search their conscience to pursue natural justice and moral judgement, instead of Judiciary favouritism using technicalities.
May God Almighty bless, protect and grace Honourable ( Honorable indeed) Justice (Justice indeed) M G Umar. May God Almighty send us more of Honorable Justice M G Umar in the various facets of our National life.
Chief Odatse-Peters Kelvin, PhD, FIPESA, MICMC, MNES
22/05 /2026
