Group protests in Abuja over court verdicts sacking Plateau NASS members

A group of Nigerians under the auspices of Coalition for Truth and Justice in Africa has held a rally at the supreme court headquarters, Abuja, to protest the appeal court judgements in the Plateau national assembly elections.

In a protest letter addressed to Olukayode Ariwoola, the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), Daniel Okwa, national president of the group, alleged that the appellate court sold judgements to the highest bidder.

He said political development in Plateau state is worrisome, adding that democracy is “under threat if such anomalies are allowed to stand”.

“The Coalition for Truth and Justice believes that the judgment of the appeal court in Abuja is a case of injustice, else, how could one explain a situation where lawmakers of the All Progressive Congress (APC) would boast and predict the outcome of the court of appeal judgment even before the pronouncement,” the letter reads.

“This is unacceptable and indicates that the justice regime in Nigeria has been thrown to the dogs. What happened in Plateau state is an aberration of immeasurable proportion. There is a distinction between a pre-election matter and a post-election matter. 

“The supreme court has established this fact on several occasions. It is now a wonder why the appeal court would act otherwise and in a despicable manner that tends to truncate our nascent democracy. 

“The Coalition for Truth and Justice entirely condemns the actions of the justices of the appeal court that sat in Abuja. They displayed insensitivity to the electoral choices of the people. This is a worrisome trend that the Chief Justice of Nigeria must address.

“This is on the heels that the judiciary, the world over, is regarded as the last hope of the commoner. This presupposes that it is the only place the commoner can get justice.

“The function of the Judiciary is not to twist the truth or fabricate facts but to interpret the law. The consequence of the interpretation of the law is justice.

“However, what played out in Plateau state negates the Judiciary’s position as the common’s last hope.

“The judiciary is for sale to the highest bidder in Nigeria if such positions could be taken without recourse to the implication of such on the psychological state of the people. 

“The Coalition for Truth and Justice is using this protest to drive the point that justice in Nigeria should not be reserved for a section of the country or any political party. 

“What happened in Plateau should not be allowed to stand or repeat itself. The implication of such is that the reputation of the judicial arm of government would be eroded.”