Federal lawmaker asks parliament to advise judiciary against ‘ambiguous judgements’

A member of the House of Representatives from Akwa Ibom, Clement Jimbo, has asked the parliament to prevail on the judiciary to ensure that courts deliver “clear and unambiguous judgements”.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker made the call during Tuesday’s plenary while raising a motion on personal explanation on the floor of the green chamber.

In recent times, some court judgements have been open to varying interpretations.

For instance, analysts have attributed the deepening internal crises in opposition parties such as the Labour Party (LP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to court rulings on their leadership tussles.

Jimbo said judgments of the courts must be clear and devoid of ambiguity.

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”Judgement that is subject to different interpretations by the parties, where the litigant says the court’s judgement says this, and the plaintiff says the court’s judgement says this. It is conflicting,” the lawmaker said.

Jimbo asked the lawmakers to advise the judiciary against delivering “rulings that create confusion”.

“As members of parliament, it is important for us to advise our judiciary that judgements of courts should be simple, with clear explanation and simple English devoid of any ambiguity so that any party that reads the judgement can understand and derive one interpretation,” he said.

“We are elected to make laws for the progress, prosperity and security of our nation, and where judgement from our court is subject to mitigating that very responsibility, it calls for concern

“And of course, we as members of the parliament should not sit aloof and allow judgement that emanates from our court to be subject to different interpretations.”

Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker who presided over the plenary, acknowledged Jimbo’s point of order and noted it for the record.