A lawyer with the Mazi Nnamdi Kanu Global Legal Consortium, Onyedikachi Ifedi, has accused the Nigerian government and parts of the judiciary of failing to move forward with Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal against his conviction.
Ifedi made the allegation while reacting to reports that the Court of Appeal has yet to list Kanu’s appeal for hearing. He claimed that the Federal Government had failed to file its brief within the required period and questioned why the appeal had not been scheduled.
The lawyer argued that the matter goes beyond ordinary delays in court proceedings. He alleged that the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, Federal High Court and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, all have issues to answer regarding the legal process that led to Kanu’s conviction.
Ifedi particularly challenged the legal basis of the conviction, alleging that Kanu was convicted under a statute that had been repealed. He argued that the transitional provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, should have been applied to the case.
He also criticised the handling of an earlier Court of Appeal decision involving Kanu, arguing that a civil stay was used to override a criminal discharge. According to him, subsequent proceedings arising from that decision require further judicial scrutiny.
The lawyer further questioned the Supreme Court’s treatment of charges that had previously been quashed. He argued that the charges could not lawfully be revived in the manner he said they were handled during Kanu’s trial.
On the role of the Attorney-General, Ifedi alleged that the Federal Government had failed to adequately defend the conviction in the appeal. He said the government should either defend the conviction or address the legal issues raised by Kanu.
Ifedi also pointed to Kanu’s decision to represent himself in the appeal, arguing that the arrangement means he is personally presenting the legal arguments challenging his conviction.
According to the lawyer, Kanu’s appellant brief is 115 pages long and raises eight issues for determination. He said the issues focus on constitutional provisions, previous Supreme Court decisions and the transitional provisions of the 2022 terrorism law.
The development comes amid continued legal attention surrounding Kanu’s case, which remains a significant issue in Nigeria, particularly in the South-East.
The allegations and legal arguments cited in this report were made by Ifedi. They have not been established as findings of the courts, and the legal issues raised remain subject to judicial determination.
