A Federal Capital Territory High Court has ordered a former Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Pauline Tallen, to tender an apology to it over her statement about a court judgment.
Tallen who was reacting to a judgement nullifying the candidature of Aishatu Binani as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Adamawa state following a lawsuit filed by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, had described it as “a kangaroo judgment.”
The Nigerian Bar Association asked Tallen to withdraw her comments and tender an apology within seven days. However, after she refused to apologise, the NBA instituted a case against her.
Ruling on the case on Monday, December 18, the court asked her to apologize while stating that her comment is unconstitutional, reckless, and disparaging.
The court also ruled that she risks being barred from holding any public office in the country if she disobeys. A statement by the NBA’s spokesperson, Akorede Lawal read;
“The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory found in favour of the Incorporated Trustees of the NBA and against the defendant, Dame Pauline Tallen, in suit No: CV/816/2016. Consequently, the court declared that the said statement of Dame Pauline Tallen (the defendant) 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 Dame Pauline Tallen (the defendant) from holding any public office in Nigeria, unless she purges herself of the ignoble conduct by publishing a personally signed apology letter to Nigerians and the judiciary on a full page of The PUNCH and Guardian 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.”
