Seven Supreme Court Justices still under America’s Visa restrictions over controversial Imo judgement – Abba-Aji
By OUR REPORTER
Although she did not expressly identify the judgment responsible for the restrictions, her disclosure has been linked to the Supreme Court’s January 14, 2020 ruling that removed Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Imo State governor and declared Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the 2019 governorship election.
A retiring Justice of the Supreme Court, Uwani Musa Abba-Aji, has disclosed that members of a seven-man panel of the apex court are still facing travel restrictions imposed by the United States following a controversial judgment.
Abba-Aji made the revelation on Friday, November 6, 2026, during a valedictory session organised in her honour at the Supreme Court in Abuja ahead of her retirement.
Although she did not expressly identify the judgment responsible for the restrictions, her disclosure has been linked to the Supreme Court’s January 14, 2020 ruling that removed Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Imo State governor and declared Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the 2019 governorship election.
In her valedictory address, the retiring justice described the experience as one of the major challenges she encountered during her judicial career, insisting that the consequences of the controversial decision remained with members of the panel.
“My time on the Supreme Court bench was filled with challenges, some of which have served as additional opportunities to stand firm on the side of justice, regardless of the consequences.
“One of such challenging judgments was widely misinterpreted and led to a travel ban to the United States of America being imposed on all members of the panel, a ban which still holds today,” she said.
The January 14, 2020 judgment generated widespread controversy after the Supreme Court overturned earlier decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Imo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had upheld Ihedioha’s victory.
The apex court ordered the inclusion of results from 388 polling units, which Uzodimma claimed had been excluded from the final collation of the election.
Before the ruling, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Ihedioha winner with 273,404 votes, while Uzodimma had scored 96,458 votes.
However, following the Supreme Court’s directive to add the disputed votes to the final results, Uzodimma emerged as the winner, while INEC was ordered to withdraw Ihedioha’s certificate of return and issue a fresh one to him.
The decision attracted strong criticism from opposition politicians and sections of the public, with questions raised over the inclusion of the disputed polling-unit results.
Donald Duke had earlier alleged visa denial
The disclosure also brings back an allegation made in 2023 by former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, that the seven Supreme Court justices who delivered the Imo judgment were denied United States visas when they sought to attend a judicial conference in the country.
Duke had claimed that members of the justices’ entourage who applied for visas were granted entry permits, while the judicial officers themselves were denied.
However, Abba-Aji did not provide details of when the restrictions were imposed or identify the specific judgment that prompted the US action.
Abba-Aji recalls EFCC experience
The retiring justice also recounted another difficult experience in 2016 when she was attending a programme in Washington DC and received a telephone call asking her to report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a petition filed against her in Lagos State.
She said she subsequently made repeated visits to the commission to respond to questions concerning allegations of corruption, which she maintained she knew nothing about.
According to her, the EFCC eventually cleared her of the allegations after its investigation.
She described the experience as particularly difficult because damaging claims and public criticism had circulated while the conservative nature of the judiciary prevented her from openly defending herself.
Reflecting on the challenges, Abba-Aji said judicial officers must remain committed to justice despite the personal consequences of their decisions.
“Such inconveniences were a price to pay to preserve the chastity of justice,” she said.
CJN, Fagbemi commend retiring justice
At the valedictory session, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, commended Abba-Aji for her contributions to the judiciary, describing her career as an important example for women aspiring to leadership positions in the legal profession.
Kekere-Ekun said Abba-Aji had served in several judicial administrative capacities since joining the judicial service in Borno State in 1973.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, also praised her contributions to Nigeria’s legal system, particularly her role in a judgment associated with the establishment of major anti-corruption institutions, including the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
Abba-Aji is retiring from the Supreme Court on November 7, 2026, having attained the mandatory retirement age of 70.
She was the first female judge from Yobe State and the second female Supreme Court justice from the North-East geopolitical zone.
