The leadership of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the sacked government of Kano State have been advised to prepare for another election in the next four years instead of intimidating the judiciary.
A group, Stand Up Nigeria (SUN), made the call on Saturday at a press conference in Abuja, following the recent attacks on the judiciary before and after the verdict by the Tribunal sacking Governor Abba Yusuf in Kano State.
National Coordinator of the group, Patriot Sunday Attah, applauded the Honourable Justices of the Kano State Governorship election petition tribunal who delivered what he described as “a bold and sound judgement that sacked Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf and declared Dr Nasir Gawuna as the duly elected Governor of Kano State.”
The group comprises patriotic Nigerian youths across political parties and ethnic groups who believe in peaceful co-existence, rule of law and institutional governance.
According to Attah, the judgement is a deterrent to politicians who float electoral laws and make elections do or die affair. We had to warn politicians severally to discourage their supporters from rigging and violence during elections as democracy is the government of the people by the people for the people.
He said: “You don’t have to intimidate the judiciary or cause war because you lose an election. The tenure is four years after which a fresh election would be conducted.
“You may prepare yourself to contest again instead of sponsoring people to blackmail highly respected Justices of the election petition tribunal and intimidate the Appeal Court Judges all in a bid to reverse a sound judgement already delivered.
“We understand that Kano has an International market which makes it home to all Nigerians irrespective of religion and tribe. Kano indigenes are also scattered in other States of the Federation without fear of molestation. No one has a monopoly on violence.
“The Judges must be encouraged and supported by all Nigerians as they deliver more critical judgements that would strengthen our democracy.
“The NNPP and its government must come out openly to retract its violent threat being issued by its supporters including a Commissioner under Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf.
“Here is a man ordinarily referred to as Honourable Commissioner, so, where is the Honourable? It shows how deep the NNPP must have gone in terms of intimidation of judicial officers in secret before it was made public.
“We believe that the intimidation and threat being mounted are targeted towards the Appeal Court judges in order to bully them.
“We urged our Honourable Justices of the Appeal Court to scumble to their antic but always stand on the part of justice. We have offered to stand by the judiciary and help protect the institution once it continues to maintain the part of justice.”
While recalling a similar judgement in the case of Edo State election petition tribunal nullified the election of Senator Osunbor of the Peoples Democratic Party and declared Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria, winner, Attah said: “We condemn the leadership of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP who have been threatening the judges and general peace of Kano State using its supporters, to understand that, trying to intimidate the judiciary to force the Judges to their side would amount to miscarriage of justice.”
The group thanked President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for enabling the judiciary to operate without interference.
