Proceedings at the Supreme Court in appeals arising from last year’s governorship election in seven states were abruptly adjourned Monday one of the seven Justices suddenly took ill.
The apex court adjourned till Tuesday to hear and deliver judgments in the governorship election appeals involving Sokoto, Imo, Plateau, Benue, Bauchi, Adamawa and Kano States.
The sudden adjournment came when proceedings commenced in the Kano State appeal, which was the first matter on the list.
Shortly after Gboyega Awomolo, counsel for Abbah Yusuf of the People’s Democratic Party adopted his brief and urged the court to allow the appeal challenging Kano State governor, Abdullahi Gadunje, the Chief Justice if Nigeria (CJN) Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad announced that the court would have to abruptly rise.
The CJN told the crowded court that one of its Justices hearing the case was critically sick and consequently led the other six Justices out of the court to their chambers to enable them attend to the ailing member of the panel.
After waiting for over an hour for the Justices to return to the court to continue with the proceedings, an official of the court announced the adjournment of all the matters to Tuesday.
Other members of the panel, headed by the CJN, are Justices Nwali Ngwuta, Olukayode Ariwoola, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, John Inyang Okoro, Amiru Sanusi, and Uwani Musa Aba-Aji.
The Supreme Court was expected to hear and deliver judgments in the appeals Monday on the governorship election appeals from the 2019 governorship elections conducted in Imo, Sokoto, Adamawa, Benue, Bauchi, Plateau, and Kano states.
