‘Libellous language’ — NNPP condemns description of supporters as ‘terrorists’ by tribunal

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has condemned the description of its supporters as “terrorists” by the panel of the Kano state governorship election petition tribunal.

Ladipo Johnson, national auditor of the NNPP, in a statement, said the description of the party’s loyalists as terrorists by Justice Benson Anya, a member of the tribunal, was “indecorous and libellous.

Johnson said a member of the panel described the NNPP supporters as a “gang of red cap wearers who, like a violent and terrorist cult, chased us out of Kano and put us in the fear of our lives”.

“Of course, the indecorous, libellous and outright condemnable comments credited to the panel and especially those portions where Justice Benson Anya went beyond his judicial bounds of immunity and acted as if he is an interested party in the matter by casting aspersions on the leadership and members of NNPP, are spurious, regrettable, uncouth and based on sentiments,” Johnson said.

“To any rational observer, it should be glaringly obvious that Justice Anya’s lengthy rebuke, insult and insensitive remarks against NNPP individually and collectively were rather unprecedented, and not based on the facts, evidence and law before the tribunal.

“One would think that he has taken sides as an interested party and as such has prejudiced the judgement of the court.”

He reiterated that NNPP would consider all options, including petitioning the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the utterances of the judge.

The NNPP chieftain added that the party would appeal the tribunal’s verdict which removed Abba Yusuf as Kano governor.

He further said the party is confident that justice will be delivered at the appellate court in due course to reinforce the faith of the people in the judiciary and democracy.