The Federal High Court of Nigeria has announced it will pause proceedings.
The court will pause proceedings for five days from Wednesday in view of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Chief Judge Justice John Tsoho directed the court’s Justices to sit up till Wednesday, February 22 before proceeding on the break.
They are to resume on Tuesday, February 28 – three days after the polls.
The break will allow the judges to vote in the elections.
There will, however, be one judge each available for each geo-political zone to hear urgent matters during the period.
Justice Tsoho announced this in a February 20 letter titled ‘Break for the 2023 general elections’, seen by The Nation.
It was addressed to all of the court’s judges.
It reads: “In view of the forthcoming 2023 general elections, Your Lordships are by this Circular letter permitted to observe a short break in order to perform your civic duties.
“Your Lordships are to sit up to Wednesday, 22nd February 2023 before proceeding on the break and shall resume work on Tuesday, 28th February 2023.
“The Administrative Judges in the Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt Judicial Divisions, shall ensure that a Judge is designated to cater for the North, South-West, South-South/South-East geo-political areas respectively, regarding urgent matters during the period.”
Saturday’s elections across the country will enable the electorate to elect the President and Vice President and members of the Senate and House of Representatives.
18 candidates are campaigning for the top job.
If there is no clear winner, a second round will be held within three weeks.
There will also be elections for state governors and state houses of assembly on Saturday 11 March.