I am inclined to this view because of the settled principle of law that a court cannot, in an interlocutory application, decide an issue in the substantive case or appeal. See Akapor v Hakeem Habeeb (1992) 6 NWLR (Part 249) 266, Victory Merchant Bank Ltd v Pelfaco Ltd (1993) 9 NWLR (Part 317) 340; Amiara v Alo (1995) 7 NWLR (Part 409)623; A.C. B. LTD v Awogboro (1996) 3 NWLR (Part 437) 383.
— F.F. Tabai, JSC. Shinning Star Nig. Ltd. v. AKS Steel Nigeria Ltd. (2011) – SC. 101/2010
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This court, in Okoya and Ors. v. Santilli (1991) 7 NWLR (Pt.206) 753; observed at page 765 B-C (per Niki Tobi J.C.A.) as follows:- “An interlocutory application or motion should normally be based on the substantive action before the court. In other words, an interlocutory application or motion should normally be based on specific reliefs sought in the substantive action. As a general rule therefore, if an interlocutory application or motion does not seek a prayer related to the cause of action, the application or motion is incompetent. An applicant cannot, at the interlocutory level, make a fresh case, different from the cause of action.”
Appeal on this matter was filed in the Court of Appeal on 3rd March, 2000. Today is 14th December, 2007. It has taken more than seven years to fight the admissibility of an exhibit, an issue which could have been taken at the end of the case after final judgment. In order to save litigation time and money of litigants, it is my view that all interlocutory appeals must stop at the Court of Appeal. This will involve the amendment of section 241 of the 1999 Constitution. I do not think it is out of place to recall that the Constitutional Debate Coordinating Committee, 1998, under my Chairmanship, which recommendations gave birth to the 1999 Constitution, recommend to the Provisional Ruling Council during the Military Regime of General Abdul Salami Abubakar, that all interlocutory appeals should stop at the Court of Appeal. The Council in its wisdom rejected the recommendation. In view of the fact that the Supreme Court is inundated with interlocutory appeals, which take so much of the time of the court, a situation which results in congestion of the court, it is hoped that the National Assembly will amend section 241 of the Constitution to make the Court of Appeal a final court in interlocutory appeals. That will save so much litigation time. That will save so much money for litigants. That will save the Supreme Court so much time to take final substantive and final appeals. As it is, seven long years are wasted for no reason. I say no more.
— N. Tobi JSC. Musa Abubakar v. E.I. Chuks (SC.184/2003, 14 DEC 2007)
The Court of Appeal cannot go outside the terms of the motion however misconceived it is. It is bound by the terms or prayers in the motion filed. (Commissioner for Works Benue State v. Devcon Construction Co. Ltd. (1988) 3 N.W.L.R. (Pt.83) 407 at 420). Since there was nothing to stay, the Court of Appeal was in error to have made the order prayed for.
— Agbaje JSC. Okoya & Ors. V. S. Santilli & Ors. ( SC.206/1989, 23 MAR 1990)
In Esoho v. Asuquo (2007) ALL FWLR (Pt. 359) 1355 at 1370 Paras. C- E (CA), the Court of Appeal stated, “An applicant who fails to move a motion on noticed filed in the course of proceedings up to the delivery of judgment is deemed to have abandoned the purpose which the motion is meant to serve. In effect, both counter – claim … are rendered incompentent. It is the normal practice for a counsel to move a motion on notice before the court seised of the case can entertain it. Failing that, the motion will not be considered on its merits.” Further see the case of OBIOZOR v. NNAMUA (2014) LPELR-23041(CA).
An interlocutory application is that application which does not decide the rights of the parties but are made for the purpose of: (a) Keeping things in status quo till the rights of the parties can be decided; (b) Obtaining some direction of the court as to how the cause of action is to be conducted; (c) Determining what is to be done in the progress of the cause of action for the purpose of enabling the court ultimately to decide upon the rights of the parties. Therefore an order of court is interlocutory when it does not deal with the final rights of the parties.
— M.U. Peter-Odili, JSC. Ugo v. Ugo (2007) – CA/A/110/2007
In my view, there must be endorsed on the writ of the plaintiff the commission of a wrong which is the cause of an action followed by an interlocutory application. Where an interlocutory application as in the motion before the court below is not based on a substantive relief claimed in the writ of summons, the court lacks jurisdiction to award such injunctive order.
— O. Kolawole JCA. Ladoke & Ors. V. Olobayo & Anor. (CA/L/137M/92 , 17 July 1992)
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