Justice Peter Kekemeke, who issued the order in response to Tallen’s comments against the judiciary, provided her with an option to publish a personally signed apology letter to the NBA, or the order would become perpetual. In her apology letter, dated January 15 and signed by her, Tallen expressed regret for her earlier comments.
The letter states: “This is with reference to the Judgment of the FCT High Court, delivered on Dec. 18, 2023, in suit No. FCT/HC/CV/816/2022 (The Incorporated Trustees of Nigerian Bar Association and Dame Pauline Tallen, OFR, KSG). I hereby, apologise to the Judiciary and Nigerians for the statement credited to me that the Court’s decision in Suit No. FHC/YL/CS/12/2022 (Mallam Nuhu Ribadu Vs APC & 3 Ors), sacking Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani as the 2023 APC Adamawa State Governorship Candidate, was a Kangaroo Judgment and should be rejected.”
Tallen clarified that her statement was misconstrued and taken out of context, emphasizing that it was not intended to malign or undermine the integrity of the nation’s judiciary, nor was it a call for civil disobedience against the Bar and the Bench. She concluded the letter with, “Kindly accept the assurances of my highest esteem. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria!”
The conflict between Tallen and the NBA arose when Senator Aisha Dahiru (Binani) won the Adamawa APC governorship primary elections in May 2022, defeating Nuhu Ribadu. Ribadu challenged the outcome, and the court nullified Binani’s victory due to non-compliance with electoral laws, Nigeria’s constitution, and the APC’s guidelines. Tallen, then a minister, criticized the court’s decision as a ‘kangaroo judgment,’ claiming it aimed at marginalizing women in Nigerian politics.
