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FRAUD CANNOT BE DETERMINED IN AN ORIGINATING SUMMONS PROCEEDINGS

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I am aware that it is not every seeming conflict arising from affidavit evidence that would warrant the calling of or resort to oral evidence for its resolution. However, where the issues of facts are contentious and border of the copious allegations of fraudulent practices as in the first respondent’s suit, it calls for caution on the path of the court from rushing to determine such a claim on affidavit evidence alone in an Originating Summons, as such a case is, in my view, one more suited and proper for determination on the pleadings and evidence of the parties under the procedure by way of a Writ of Summons.

— C.C. Nweze, JSC. APC v. Sheriff (2023) – SC/CV/1689/2022

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IF NO SUBSTANTIAL DISPUTE THEN ORIGINATING SUMMONS SHOULD BE USED

It is clear from the above that an action could be brought by originating summons if the issues involved are not in dispute or in controversy or not likely to be in dispute or in controversy. Putting it negatively, where the issues are in dispute or are contentious, an originating summons procedure will not lie. In such a situation, the party must initiate the action by a writ of summons, a procedure which accommodates pleadings of facts. An action could be brought by originating summons where the sole or principal question in issue is or is likely to be one of construction of a statute, or of any instrument made under a statute or of any deeds, will, contract, or other document or some other question of law. It is not the law that once there is dispute on facts, the matter should be commenced by writ of summons. No. That is not the law. The law is that the dispute on facts must be substantial, material, affecting the live issues in the matter. Where disputes are peripheral, not material to the live issues, an action can be sustained by originating summons. After all, there can hardly be a case without facts. Facts make a case and it is the dispute in the facts that give rise to litigation.

— Niki Tobi JSC. Pam & Anor. V Mohammed (2008) – SC.238/2007

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ABSENCE OF SIGNATURE OF THE JUDGE ON THE ORIGINATING SUMMONS – NON-COMPLIANCE

It is pertinent to observe that the competence of the court to exercise jurisdiction is not questioned on any other than the ground alleging want of signature of the Judge. Accordingly, for appellants to succeed they must show that the absence of the signature of a High Court Judge to an originating summons, is fatal to the validity of the proceedings initiated by it. Stricto sensu, there is no provision in the rules of court indicating the effect of noncompliance with its provisions.

— Karibe-Whyte, JSC. Saude v. Abdullahi (1989) – SC.197/1987

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ORIGINATING SUMMONS NOT SUITABLE FOR HOSTILE PROCEEDINGS

The merits of the originating summons lie in the fact that proceedings commenced thereby are very expeditiously dealt with as the action is almost invariably ready for hearing after the defendant had filed his counter-affidavit. Pleadings are not filed by the parties; witnesses are rarely examined, while affidavit evidence is used. Proceedings for which it is used therefore usually involve question of law rather than disputed facts. An originating summons should not be adopted if the proceedings are hostile proceedings.

– Adekeye, JSC. Elelu-Habeeb v. A.G Federation (2012)

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WHERE INTERPRETATION IS NEEDED ORIGINATING SUMMONS IS APPROPRIATE

KEYAMO VS. HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, LAGOS STATE (2000) 11 W.R.N. 29 at 40, (2000) 12 NWLR (Pt. 680) 796 at 213 stated as follows: “I must state that the correct position of the law is that originating summons is used to commence an action where the issue involved is one of the construction of a written law or of any instrument made under a written law, or of any deed, contract or other document or some other question of law or where there is unlikely to be any substantial dispute of fact. This is the provision of Order 3 Rule 2 (2) of the Lagos State Civil Procedure (supra)”

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COMMENCING BY ORIGINATING SUMMONS OR BY WRIT OF SUMMONS

As demonstrated above, Originating Summons is, particularly, employed in commencing a suit when what is in dispute is the mere construction of documents or interpretation of law in respect of which pleadings are unnecessary or where there is no real dispute as to facts between the parties, G. F. Harwood, Odger’s Principles of Pleadings and Practice in Civil Actions (Twentieth Ed) (New Delhi – India: Universal Law Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd, 2010) 352; F. Nwadialo, Civil Procedure in Nigeria (Lagos: University of Lagos Press, 2000) 211; Arjay Ltd and Ors v A. M. S. Ltd (2003) LPELR -555 (SC) … The situation is different in a suit commenced by Writ of Summons where the facts are regarded as holding a pride of place and the fountain head of the law in the sense that the facts lead to a legal decision on the matter. That is not the position in proceedings commenced by Originating Summons, where facts do not play a central role but an infinitesimal role. On the distinction between Originating Summons and Writ of Summons, see the following cases: Dapianlong v. Dariye (supra); Keyamo v. House of Assembly, Lagos State [2002] 18 NWLR (pt. 799) 605; Director, SSS v. Agbakoba [1999] 3 NWLR (pt. 595) 314; Famfa Oil Ltd v. Attorney-General, Federation and Anor [2003] 18 NWLR (pt. 852) 453; Inakoju v. Adeleke (supra); and Attorney-General, Adamawa State and Ors v. Attorney-General, Federation and Ors (2005) LPELR- 602 (SC).

— C.C. Nweze, JSC. APC v. Sheriff (2023) – SC/CV/1689/2022

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INTRODUCTION OF ORIGINATING SUMMONS

The English Common Law which Nigeria received has developed a corpus juris on when an action can and cannot be commenced by originating summons. The procedure for originating summons came into the English Legal System by the Chancery Procedure Act of 1852 which replaced the old mode of commencing proceedings in the Court of Chancery by “bill” with the commencement of a suit in certain cases only by summons originating proceedings in chambers. In 1883, the rules of the Supreme Court 1875 were stated and the term originating summons was for the first time introduced. See Re Holloway (A solicitor ex-parte Pallister (1894) 2 QS 163. See also Re Priver, Lindsell v. Phillips (1885) 30 Ch. D 291; In Re Giles Real and Personal Coy v. Michell (1890) 43 Ch. 0391; Nutten v. Holland (1894) 3 Ch. 408.

— Niki Tobi JSC. Pam & Anor. V Mohammed (2008) – SC.238/2007

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