NJC Moves Against Conflicting Court Orders

The National Judicial Council on Wednesday moved against conflicting court orders.
This was when it issued policy directions on political and election-related cases.
NJC said it was part of the efforts to halt cases issuance of conflicting orders and judgments capable of disrupting the ongoing electioneering.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, presided over the meeting where the policy directions were formulated.
Heads of courts, according to the new directions, are to be held responsible for loopholes in their areas of jurisdictions.
NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, in a statement, said the policy direction was formulated at its 98th meeting of May 10 and 11 under the chairmanship of Justice Muhammad.
The directions to all federal and state courts read in part, “All suits to which these policy directions apply shall be filed, received, or entertained only at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in so far as the relief sought, or potential consequential order (s) or declaration (s) may restrain or compel persons or actions beyond the territorial jurisdiction of any one state;
“Where such suits are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, they shall be filed or received at Abuja and assigned by the Chief Judge of the Court;
“All such suits wherein the cause of action arose in a state and the relief seeks a declaration or to compel or restrain person (s), natural or legal, within that state’s territory, with no consequence outside the state, shall be filed, received, or heard only in that state;
“All Heads of Court shall assign cases or constitute panels with a view to forestalling the incidences of conflicting judgments and rulings;
“Once facts or issues have been ruled upon, no other court or panel of coordinate jurisdiction shall be assigned or entertain suits on the same subject matter and parties shall comply or proceed on appeal to the appropriate higher court;
“Rules of court shall require sufficient notice and publicity of actions that potentially impact other cases;
“Rules of court shall stipulate solemn disclosure duties on litigants filing actions that may impact other actions.
“Heads of court shall exercise their rule making and administrative powers to give effect to these policy directions.
“These directions shall take effect from May 11, 2022.”