Group Faults Supreme Court Judgment on Kogi Election

An advocacy group under the auspices of the United Nigerians Against Crimes (UNAC), has faulted what it describes as the disjointed judgement of the Supreme Court on the Kogi State governorship election dispute between Gov. Usman Ahmed Ododo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Murtala Yakubu Ajaka.

In a statement issued on Monday by the Director General of the UNAC, Dr. Abdullahi Yunusa Bayawo, the group said the judgement was a “grave disappointment and a slap on the face of the Nigerian people.”

“The Supreme Court’s decision is a clear demonstration of bias and disregard for the principles of justice,” the statement reads.

“The court’s ruling on the matter is so disjointed that it is hard to comprehend. The court failed to address the main issue at hand, instead, it introduced extraneous matters that are not relevant to the case.

We are particularly concerned about the Supreme Court’s ruling that the election was filled out of time, despite the fact that the Election Tribunal had already settled this matter.

“It is also shocking that the court would say that criminal cases brought after elections are pre-election matters, yet they removed an elected governor in Bayelsa State due to forgery of certificate against his deputy.

“Furthermore, the Supreme Court’s rejection of the use of BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) in the election, despite its earlier directive for the Tribunal to continue with BVAS demonstration, is a clear indication of the Court’s disregard for technological advancements and its willingness to undermine the integrity of elections.

“We condemn this judgement in its entirety and urge the Federal Government to take immediate action to restructure the judiciary to prevent such miscarriages of justice. The continuous disregard for the rule of law and the democratic process by some judges will only lead to further instability and chaos in our country.

“We warn those judges who are bent on destroying our democracy that they will be held accountable for their actions. We urge them to remember that they are accountable to God and humanity, and their actions will have consequences.

“We urge all Nigerians to reject this judgement and demand that it be reviewed. We also call on all well-meaning individuals and organizations to join us in this fight against injustice and for a fair and just society.”