UWAIFO, JSC (DELIVERING THE LEADING JUDGMENT): On 31 October, 2001, the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, gave answers to questions set out in a reference made to it by the Federal High Court, Lagos under section 295(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. The questions are as follows:
“1. Whether or not the Tribunal of Inquiry Decree 1966 No. 41 took effect as a law enacted by the National Assembly pursuant to the provisions of section 315 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. 2. Whether or not sections 5(c), 5(d), 10, 11(1)(b), 11(3), 11(4) and 12 of the Tribunals of Inquiry Decree No. 41 (or any of them) are constitutional and valid or contravene section 35 or 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.”
The answers given by the Court of Appeal provoked the two appeals with which I shall deal in this judgment. Before I come to those answers, I state some relevant facts of the case. The President of the Federal Re…