The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Youths Vanguard have reacted to recent judgements delivered on the petitions filed before the Abia State National Assembly ELections Tribunal by its candidates, accusing the judges of compromise.
In a statement signed by Ukpai F. Oko, President APGA Youth Vanguard, the group said “the most outrageous aspect of this wholesale barter of the mandate of Abia people is that while we toed the path of civility to protest the blatant rigging and manipulation of the National and State Assembly elections at the tribunals, those who perpetrated these illegal acts used money to twist the wheel of justice.
“We wonder what our elders are teaching us by their anti-social actions.”
They alleged that “the purchase of judgment in the election petition tribunals is mind boggling, and what the merchants of the people’s will did not realize is that as youths, we have eyes and we see.
“We are compelled to cry out and alert Nigerians that PDP, which was rejected and cast away from the federal government has withdrawn to South-East and using Abia State as headquarters for further impunity, intimidation and corruption; it is perpetuating rigging and inducing judges to bend the expressed will of the masses.
“PDP’s manifesto for election is to rig themselves into offices and ask those who are deprived of victory to go to court knowing that they have amassed much money to buy the hearts of judges and abduct justice. They are already boasting of doing the same thing at the appeal court Owerri.”
The APGA youths further stated that “during the screening of ministerial nominees, Nigerians heard from the former Chief Judge of Taraba State, how lawyers compromise judges and corrupt the judiciary. What Mama Taraba was saying was the truth and we were appalled that senators, some of whom are in the Senate through the corrupt process, stopped her. If not, she would also have disclosed how State Chief Judges are used to influence tribunal judgment and corrupt the process.
“It is well known that when constitution fails, confusion and confrontation take over. This is, therefore, a save our soul to Nigeria judiciary to salvage the situation in Abia State. Already fresh bargains are being processed for Appeal Court Judges to ‘cooperate’ so as to cover the injustice delivered as judgment in Abia Election Tribunals.
“It is quite unfortunate if the Judiciary in this country, which is described as the last hope of the common man, goes the way of highway. Abia State have been in bondage for the past 16 years, which made our people to come out en masses to say no to the mess by giving their votes to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
“Now, the same PDP government, which took over the power fraudulently from APGA have used over N1 billion to buy up the Tribunal Judges and promised each person a brand new car in Enugu.
“APGA Youths Vanguard reject these evil machinations in Abia State. We call on the Court of Appeal, the Chief Justice of the Federation and the National Judicial Council, NJC, to look into these festering corruption in Abia State, especially as the judgment of the tribunals go to on appeal.
“A repeat or perpetration of what happened in the lower court may inspire the masses with the notion of self-help. The NJC and DSS should beam their searchlight on tribunal judges.
“We, the youth of Abia who voted in Abia know that the judgment of the tribunals in the following cases deserve a critical review: Chief Dr. David Ogba Onuaha-Bourdex vs Hon. M.A.O Ohuabunwa; Chief Nnamdi Iro Orji vs Uko Nkole; Dr. Ejike Orji vs. Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha; Chief Ahandi Nwoke vs. Chief T.A. Orji; Chief Chris Nkwonta vs. Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe; Chief Chuddy Patrick vs Sam Onuigbo, Chief Chinenye Ike vs Hon. Darlington Nwokocha, Chief Chijioke Okoro vs Luke Onyeani Ukara.
“We urge President Muhammadu Buhari to remember that he was elected by Nigerians because of the evils of corruption and impunity. Therefore, he should look into cases of electoral corruption and empower the anti-graft agencies to trace assets of highly placed individuals, especially judges. Most of them buy up estates and build mansion through proxies. Nothing stirs civil strife like rigging of election, stealing of votes and abduction of justice.”
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