The third argument is the one on “healing any defect in the swearing of the depositions. . .”. This is quite a new one to me. I know of no such adjectival law. Taking the argument further, it means that once a deponent takes oath, it automatically wipes out all the defects provided for in the Evidence Act, particularly in section 83. Although learned Senior Advocate did not specifically mention section 83, I know that is where he is going. Unfortunately, learned Senior Advocate did not cite the law which will perform the automatic medication like iodine to a wound or panadol to headache. There is no such balm to lessen the “pain” in section 83 not to talk of complete healing. Learned Senior Advocate submitted that section 83 anticipates what he called the “later affidavit” and not a procedural deposition which is normally re-sworn at the adoption”. Unfortunately for the appellant, section 83 does not draw any such cleavage or dichotomy. What does learned Senior Advocate mean by the expression “procedural deposition”? Does this infer that there is substantive deposition? Depositions are all matters of procedure as they are adjectival in nature and content. I should finally make the point that learned Senior Advocate did not refer to any authority, either by way of statute or case law to back up or justify his submission. I am not surprised because I do not know any. The submission has not the support either of section 83 of the Evidence Act or paragraph 1(1)(b) of the Practice Directions which provide for written statements on oath of witnesses. Accordingly, question (a) fails.
— Niki Tobi, JSC. Buhari v. INEC (2008) – SC 51/2008
