On Friday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja declined to remove herself from a case involving a request to halt funding to local governments in Rivers State. This suit, filed by the Rivers State House of Assembly and its factional Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Joseph Daudu, sought an order to withhold funds designated for local councils in Rivers State. Justice Abdulmalik had previously issued four rulings that went against several of the defendants, prompting the state’s Accountant General, supported by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other defendants, to raise concerns over her impartiality. Represented by Senior Advocate Tuturu Edem, the Accountant General argued that the judge’s approach to the proceedings indicated possible bias against the state government and other parties in the case. The defendants’ position suggested that the judge’s conduct during the case proceedings had been unorthodox and unexpected.
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Despite these assertions, Justice Abdulmalik stated that she would not step down from presiding over the case, firmly denying any bias. She also dismissed the request to transfer the case to the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt. In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik emphasized that the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction extends nationwide, allowing her to continue overseeing the case. She further explained that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court holds the authority to assign cases to any judge as deemed appropriate. As a result, Justice Abdulmalik ordered that both the main case and preliminary objections would proceed under her oversight, thereby reaffirming her commitment to preside impartially over the matter. This decision underscores her interpretation of the Federal High Court’s territorial reach and the Chief Judge’s discretion in case assignments, reinforcing her stance that judicial objectivity is maintained.
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