Lawyers at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Apo, before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, were stunned as the judge began delivering his ruling without the submission of applicant and defendant in the motion for recusal before him.
It took the intervention of the Legal Assistant of the court who drew the attention of the judge to the fact that parties in the matter were yet to make their submissions in the motion he was ruling on before he halted his ruling.
The lawyers said they were surprised that the judge began his riuling on the motion before him without parties arguing it.
According to them, it is expected that parties are supposed to argue a motion before the court before ruling is delivered one way or the other.
Human Rights activist, Victor Giwa had filed a motion before the court seeking the recusal of the judge from his case.
The police had accused Giwa of forging letterhead paper of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Awa Kalu.
But Awa Kalu, in a letter to the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode. Egebtolun, put a lie to the allegation of the police against Ibitade amd Giwa.
Despite the letter of Prof. Awa Kalu to the Inspector-General of Police, formally distancing himself from the allegation of forgery and impersonation against Giwa and Ibitade, the police have gone ahead to press charge against Giwa.
Chief Kalu, in a letter to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, had said his letterhead was never forged and that he had not at anytime lodged any complaint to the police about forgery of his document.
Professor Kalu, in a letter dated May 30, 2025, addressed to the Inspector General of Police, clarified that he neither filed a complaint nor reported Mr. Giwa for allegedly forging his firm’s letterhead.
During the proceedings, Wednesday, Barrister Giwa asked the judge to recuse himself from the matter on the ground of bias and partisanship.
He told the court while arguing his motion after the court halted it’s ruling to allow parties address him that he has no chance of getting justice before the court.
The police in their counter motion asked the court to dismiss the motion.
In a brief, already prepared ruling before submissions were made by Counsel in the matter, the court struck out the motion, saying that the court is not bias in the matter.
According to him, “This court is not bias, the issue raised by the applicant in hisotion has no basis. This motion is here by struck-out”
Giwa had said in an affidavit in support of the application with motion number M/13799/2025 that Asabe Waziri has the backing of some persons in the office of the FCT High Court CJ with respect to his trial in court.
He said in the affidavit, “That I know as a fact that Arabe Waziri is fully supported by persons in the Office of the Chief Judge of FCT, and enjoys favour with respect to her cases in Court.
“That I made efforts and send emissaries to the office of the Chief Judge with the knowledge that the office of the Chef Judge is against me.
“That I have no chances of getting justice before this Honourable Court in this case as the outcome is pre-determined and Asabe Waziri has boasted repeatedly that this Honourable Court is arranged to obtain a conviction and use same as a basis for the withdrawal of my practice license.
“That I humbly and respectfully demand that this case be further investigated by the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
“That I am ready and available to undertake a polygraph test to verify the veracity of my claims and the facts deposed in this affidavit.
“That Asabe Waziri enjoys full support from the Office of the Chief Judge of
the FCT High Court and its staff, That i depose to this affidavit in good faith believing the contents to be true
and correct and in accordance with the Oath Act 2004.”
