Shettima: Supreme Court Dismisses APM’s Appeal

The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed the appeal filed by the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) challenging the nomination of Shettma as Tinubu’s running mate, The Nation reports.

The party had prayed the court to void the joint ticket on the grounds of double nomination.

A seven-member panel, headed by Justice John Okoro, pronounced the dismissal of the appeal after the appellant’s lawyer, Chukwuma Majukwu Umeh, applied to withdraw it.

Members of the panel had, at the mention of the appeal, noted that it was frivolous because the Supreme Court had, in an earlier case of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) v. INEC and others, resolved the issue that Shettima was properly nominated.

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Justice Emmanuel Agim noted that the court was not bound to hear every appeal, particularly a frivolous one of this nature.

Justice Okoro pointedly asked Umeh what he thought his client would benefit from the outcome of the case if not only to further overburden the court.

Umeh, who elected to argue the appeal, tried to distinguish his client’s case from that of the PDP v. INEC and others.

Justice Okoro told Umeh: “When the court points out an issue, you should listen to the court. What you are doing there is highly irritating. This is in view of the heavy workload of this court.”

Umeh proceeded to adopt all his processes and urged the court to allow the appeal.

Uncomfortable with Umeh’s conduct, Justice Okoro again, said: “What do you stand to gain if your appeal succeeds?

“You said you want the court to state the law. Is that why you are at the Supreme Court? There is nothing to gain, you just want to give us work to do.”

He added that the appeal lacked any utilitarian value.

At that point, Umeh had a change of mind and reluctantly applied to withdraw the appeal.

There were no objections to Umeh’s application to withdraw the appeal, following which it was dismissed.