Federal High Court. Image credit: McAfee & Taft
Abuja Federal high court Judge has, on Monday sitting, after a long legal reasoning by the lawyers on Suit No: CV/816/2016, taken a verdict against the former minister of Women Affairs, Dame Tallen.
The Court decision was made in favour of the complaint, incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on the legal ground that Miss Tallen’s statement was unconstitutional and careless, being a call of disobedience to the court’s judgement, served in contempt of the Federal High Court.
Given this ruling, the Court vouchsafed defendant an order to restrict the ex-minister from taking up public administrative office within, the spheres of its constitutional responsibility, Nigeria.
Meanwhile, offering her a redemption from the restraining order, the Federal High Court insisted that she publishes, on full page of the two National News papers, a personally signed letter of public apology to the judiciary and Nigerian citizens.
It also maintained that the orders remain unwavering if she, in the course of 30 days period, fails to adhere to the court’s open redemption option for the publication of a public letter of apology.
Going back in time, Miss Tallen had described the court judgment as “a kangaroo judgment that should be rejected by well-meaning Nigerians” when the case was first decided by the court on October 15 , 2022 over her public comments made in respect of the Federal High Court’s judgment of litigation filed in Suit No. FHC/YL/12/2022 between Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and All Progressive Congress (APC).
Tallen’s “contemptuous words” against the court, however, was spurred by her disappointment at hearing the court’s decision. (3)
Subsequent to the event, the NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, wrote to the minister Tallen, on 14th of November, 2022, drawing her attention to the “ comments and requested that she should tender public apology to the Federal High Court which she, of course,due to her political position at the time considered inconsequential.
However, barring her compliance with the NBA President’s demands, the court a litigation was instituted in line with the Suit No: CV/816/2016 before the Abuja Federal High Court.
former minister of Women Affairs, Dame Tallen.
