GALADIMA JSC (Delivering the Lead Judgment): This is an appeal A against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, delivered on 17 December 2008. By the judgment, the court below affirmed the decision of the Federal High Court wherein all the questions in the plaintiffs’ (now the respondents) originating summons were resolved against the defendants (now appellants). Dissatisfied, the appellants further appealed to this court vide their notice of appeal filed on 18 December 2008, which was amended , containing 23 grounds of appeal out of which the following 6 issues were distilled:
Considering the clear provisions of section 251(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution on which the trial High Court relied upon to assume jurisdiction in this matter, coupled with the claims submitted to the said trial High Court by the plaintiffs, as well as binding decisions of both this court and the lower court on the Federal High Court jurisdiction in similar circumstances, whether or not the low…