Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
The Plateau South People Assembly (PSPA) has expressed concern over conflicting judgements on similar election matters by the election petition tribunal and Court of Appeal, wondering if the electoral law has different interpretations.
Addressing the press in Jos, Chairman of the group, Chief Dashe Dawam said the group was taken aback by the recent waves of judicial pronouncements upturning the elections of representatives in some of the constituencies in very strange circumstances.
He stated that the plateau election petition tribunal and of recent the Court of Appeal, have recently given contradictory judgements on the same elections and the same subject matters, thereby throwing the entire state into total confusion and apprehension.
“This ugly development calls for a great concern on the role of the judiciary in upholding the tenets of democracy and appreciating the people’s wishes.
“We are shocked by the pattern of the judgements, nullifying elections of some of our representatives, under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over what is termed as improper nomination and sponsorship of candidates by the PDP.
“By this act, the judiciary may be perceived as imposing on itself the role of determining who will rule the people against their popular wishes,” he said.
Describing it as a great threat to democracy, Dawam said that if the situation is not properly handled and managed, it can lead to total breakdown of law and order and as well undermine the existing peace on the Plateau.
The group called on the judiciary to save democracy and allow justice to be served, warning that Plateau people are not willing to throw away the mandate they freely gave their elected representatives on grounds of judicial technicalities and some other contradictory pronouncements.
“The time is now for the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the National Judicial Council (NJC) and indeed, prominent Nigerians to prevail on the judges handling election matters from Plateau State to allow the people have those they voted into office to represent them.
“We also call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu to rise to the occasion by defending our evolving democracy in Plateau State and Nigeria at large,” the group demanded.
