Imo: Group Calls On Nigerians To ‘Save Judiciary From Self-Destruction’

A coalition of civil society groups under the aegis of the Alliance for Preservation of Democracy has claimed that unless something is done, the Nigerian judiciary may be heading for self-destruction.

The coalition was reacting to the recent judgement of the Supreme Court which invalidated the victory of Emeka Ihedioha in the Imo governorship election and affirmed Senator Hope Uzodinma as the validly elected governor of the state.

The coalition demanded to know how the Supreme Court arrived at the total of 948,000 as the number of votes cast during the Imo governorship election when the total number of voters accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was 823,743.

At a press conference in Abuja, Lemmy Ughegbe of Make A Difference Initiative (MAD), who spoke on behalf of the coalition, observed that judiciary is the arm of government that should be the last hope of the common man.

According to him, “today, judgments are more political than judicial. Judges are ruled by fear of what could befall them if they act contrary to the famed ‘body language’ of those that wield executive powers. It is in this sense that we are concerned.

“We challenge all Nigerians to come together and seek for ways to save the judiciary from self-destruct.”

Ughegbe, who further claimed that there was a general decay in the judiciary, said: “It is still a waiting game to see how the Supreme Court will explain its historical ruling on the Imo gubernatorial contest owing to its obvious somersault on legal precedents it had established prior to the curious judgment of Tuesday, January 14, 2020.

“We are not unmindful that right from the moment security operatives, in Gestapo manner, laid siege to the homes of judges and thereafter the grave assault in the removal of the Justice Walter Onnoghen, judges across the country are in great peril, therefore want to pander to some interests.

“The reason is because some of them are mired in conduct unbecoming of judicial officers, therefore, susceptible to blackmail by agents of State.”

The coalition noted that judicial officers “who are already compromised should seek for penance through the NJC or come public so as to have the moral courage to deliver judgments not only according to the law but their conscience.”