A Coalition of Civil Society Groups has commended the judiciary, saying it has lived up to its expectations by Nigerians.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja during a solidarity rally in support of the judiciary, the Coalition, made up of Northern Christian Civil Rights Movement, the African Patriots, the Guardians of Democracy, and others with memberships over 10, 000 specifically commended the judiciary for the recent judgements in various election petitions in Plateau state.
It also warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and others against what it described as “blackmail” of the Court of Appeal.
The convener of Guardians of Democracy, Mr. Adamu Kabir, in his speech, said the Coalition expressed gratitude and appreciation to the esteemed Justices of the Appeal Court and honoured their commitment to safeguarding the principles of justice, equity, fairness, and democracy in the nation.
Kabir said, “Today, we stand united to celebrate the triumph of the judiciary over the nefarious attempts by political parties to manipulate and undermine the rule of law.
“However, we, the Guardians of Democracy, stand firm in our belief in the judiciary’s ability to uphold the rule of law and deliver justice for all Nigerians.”
These attempts, according to him, came from various quarters, including politicians, lawyers, and even members of the public, adding that, these individuals have sought to influence the judiciary’s decisions “through intimidation, bribery, and even threats of violence.”
Meanwhile, the convener, Northern Christian Civil Rights Movement, Mr. Tobias Ogbe, in his speech, urged the PDP in Plateau to desist from the “unholy enterprise in the interest of peace and tranquility.”
“It must be stated that the resort to cheap blackmail and propaganda serves no good and does not augur well for preserving democracy in Nigeria. Ironically, this has been one of the potent weapons of destabilisation that political parties and actors employ to destabilise the system when election results do not go their way,” Ogbe said.
He noted that the case of Plateau “presents a vivid example of how politicians selfishly heat the polity and end up causing a conflict of unimaginable proportions.”
According to him, the enterprise must stop, and those responsible must desist from such ignoble endeavors.
