A HIGH court in the Federal Capital Territory, on Monday, ruled in favour of the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and against a former Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Tallen in Suit No: CV/816/2016.
Consequently, the Court declared that the said statement of Tallen was unconstitutional, careless, reckless, disparaging, a call to disobey the judgment of the court and therefore contemptuous of the Federal High Court of Nigeria.
The Court also granted among other reliefs an injunction restraining the ex-minister from holding any public office in Nigeria, unless she purges herself of the conduct by publishing a personally signed apology letter to Nigerians and the Judiciary on a full page of two national newspapers.
The Court ordered that the injunction restraining the Defendant from holding any public office in Nigeria shall become perpetual if she fails to abide by the order directing her to publish an apology letter within 30 days.
On December 14, 2022, the NBA Incorporated Trustees took out an originating summons against Tallen, who at the time was Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, over her public comments made in respect of the judgment of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/YL/12/2022 between Mallam Nuhu Ribadu v. All Progressives Congress (APC) & 2 Ors delivered on 14 October, 2022.
Tallen had on the 15th of October, 2022 described the court decision as “a kangaroo judgment that should be rejected by well-meaning Nigerians.”
By a letter dated November 14, 2022, the NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, wrote the minister, demanding that she withdraw the said disparaging comments and tender an unreserved and public apology to the Court. However, the demands therein were not complied with, hence the institution of Suit No: CV/816/2016 before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
