Supreme Court Justice Who Delivered Controversial Judgement Favouring Ahmad Lawan Dies

Justice Chima Centus Nweze of the Supreme Court of Nigeria died on Sunday, 30 July, 2023, according to a press release from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

THE WHISTLER reports that Nweze (65), who hails from Enugu State, was the judge who delivered a controversial judgement of the apex court affirming former Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, as the All Progressives Congress senatorial candidate for Yobe North.

Nweze was also the only judge who stood his ground against a majority decision of the apex court which had declared Hope Uzodinma winner of the Imo state governorship election in 2019.

In a dissenting judgement, Nweze held that Mr Uzodinma misled the court by crediting unverified votes in 388 polling units to himself.

“This decision of the Supreme Court will continue to hunt our electoral jurisprudence for a long time to come.

“This court has a duty of redeeming its image, it is against this background that the finality of the court cannot extinguish the right of any person.

“I am of the view that this application should succeed. I hereby make an order repealing the decision of this court made on January 14 and that the certificate of return issued to the appellant(Uzodinma) returned to INEC.

“I also make an order restoring the respondents (Ihedioha) as the winner of the March 9, 2019 governorship election,” Mr Nweze had said in his minority verdict.

His verdict, however, could not overturn the majority decision of his brother judges comprising of
former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed, current CJN, Olukayode Ariwoola, Sylvester Ngwuta, and Kudirat Kekere-E.

The majority decision held that it lacked powers to revisit or reviews its judgement which was based on relevant provisions and citations of the law.

Reacting to his demise, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, OON, SAN stated he ” has received with shock and dismay the news of the passing of Hon. Justice Chima Centus Nweze, Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which sad event occurred on Sunday, 30 July, 2023.”

According to him, Justice Nweze was an astute and erudite jurist whose numerous decisions have shaped, impacted and developed our law and jurisprudence.

” He was a disciplined, hardworking, and courageous judicial officer.

“The NBA President condoles with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kayode Ariwoola, GCON, the entire Nigerian Judiciary, the Government and People of Enugu State, friends and family of Hon. Justice Nweze over the demise of his lordship and prays that the Almighty God comforts his lordship’s family and friends,” the statement made available to THE WHISTLER, read.

THE WHISTLER gathered with the demise of Nweze, the South East currently has no representation in the apex court bench.