Supreme Court’s Integrity at Stake

A member representing Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke federal constituency of Plateau State in the House of Representatives, Yusuf Gagdi, came under attack last week after bragging that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, will influence the decision of the Supreme Court on the petition challenging the outcome of the governorship election in the state.

In a video trending on the social media, Gagdi was heard boasting at a rally in the state last Sunday about the APC’s ability to sway victory at the Supreme Court.

The Court of Appeal had last Sunday, sacked Governor Caleb Mutfwang, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared the APC candidate, Nentawe Goshwe, as the winner of the March 18 governorship election in the state.

The court had overturned the judgment of the state Governorship Election Tribunal last month which affirmed Mutfwang’s victory in the election.

Mutfwang, who described the Court of Appeal judgment as a temporary setback, has since said he would appeal it at the Supreme Court.

But the dispute took a strange twist when Gagdi boasted that the outcome of the governorship election at the Supreme Court would be based on who both parties know.

“We have gone to the Appeal Court and the final destination is the Supreme Court and we will meet there. That is where we will know who they know and they will know who we know,” he said in the 18-seconds video clip.

While the lawmaker spoke, some people suspected to be APC supporters could be heard in the background hailing him.

Gagdi’s comment is a big blow to Nigeria’s democracy.

By making this claim, Gagdi has insinuated that his party won at the Appeal Court based on who they know.

Gagdi’s comment has apparently lent credence to Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa’s confession that he influenced court judgments, through his wife.

The comment has sent a dangerous signal that winning election in Nigeria is no longer determined in the ballot box but based on who the political parties know in the courts.

Many Nigerians have criticised the Plateau lawmaker for attacking the integrity of the judiciary.

With a comment like this, it is left for the Supreme Court to prove him wrong by ensuring not only that justice is done but also seen to have been done.