Fresh Controversy As CJN’s Nephew Among Kano Court Of Appeal Justices, Odinkalu Alleges

The Court of Appeal’s verdict on the disputed Kano governorship election has ignited fresh controversy over an alleged conflict of interest involving the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

Human rights lawyer Chidi Odinkalu revealed on X handle on Thursday that Justice Lateef Ganiyu, one of the three appeal court justices that ruled on the Kano governorship case, is a nephew of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who recently elevated Ganiyu to the appellate court bench.

According to legal activist Chidi Odinkalu, Justice Ganiyu’s appointment in September and his role in the appeal judgment raise propriety questions, given his family affiliation with Justice Ariwoola, who hails from the same Oyo community.

The revelation coincides with conflicting claims over the authentic appeal verdict following discrepancies between the judgment as read in court and the certified true copies (CTC) issued to lawyers.

Mainly, supporters of the appellant and some lawyers allege that the judgment favored Governor Yusuf Kabir before it was manipulated to favor the APC.

According to them, what the justices read in court was quite different from what is contained in the CTC, adding that the CTC, being a written document, is the original judgment.

Rights activists have frequently accused senior justices of nepotism in key appointments, seen as rife with conflicts of interest.