Nigerian Supreme Court Justice Reveals Judges Affected By US Visa Ban
A retiring Justice of the Supreme Court, Uwani Musa Abba-Aji, has revealed that some Nigerian judges are still affected by a United States visa restriction.
The ban was linked to a controversial judgment that removed former Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha from office.
Abba-Aji made the disclosure on Friday, November 6, 2026, during a valedictory session held in her honour at the Supreme Court in Abuja.
The retiring justice disclosed that members of a seven-man panel that delivered the controversial judgment were subjected to US travel restrictions, which she said remained in force.
Although she did not directly name the case, the development has been linked to the January 14, 2020, Supreme Court judgment that removed Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the 2019 Imo State governorship election.
The seven justices who sat on the panel were Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Olukayode Ariwoola, Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta, Amiru Sanusi, Amina Adamu Augie and Uwani Musa Abba-Aji.
The controversy surrounding the judgment resurfaced in February 2023 when former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke alleged that the seven justices were denied US visas after applying to attend a judicial conference in the country.
Duke claimed that while the justices were refused visas, their aides who applied alongside them received approval.
The allegation generated reactions because of the circumstances surrounding the Supreme Court ruling, which overturned the earlier declaration of Ihedioha as the winner of the Imo governorship election.
Uzodimma had challenged the election result, arguing that votes from 388 polling units were excluded from the final collation.
The Supreme Court accepted his argument and ordered that the excluded votes be added to the results. The recalculation placed Uzodimma ahead of Ihedioha, leading to his declaration as governor.
The ruling attracted criticism from political figures and other Nigerians, with questions raised about the court’s decision.