A human rights organization, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has called on Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Ariwoola to recuse himself from the headship of the Presidential Election Petitions’ Tribunal (PEPT) over alleged affinity with Bola Ahmed Tinubu on moral grounds to avoid conflict of interest.
The group said that “CJN-Tinubu factor” was the greatest threat to the 2023 PEPT especially its membership, proceedings and outcomes.
The Chairman of Intersociety Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi in a statement said that the Appellate and Supreme Courts’ membership of the PEPT must also be unbiased and bear true reflection of ethnic and religious balancing.
The statement read in part: “Having carefully followed the recent People’s Gazette and Sahara Reporters’ exclusive reports on CJN’s partisanship and affinity with Ahmed Bola Tinubu (such as alleged recent clandestine meeting of the duo in London to allegedly harm 2023 PEPT) and responses from the CJN’s media handlers and his public defense by APC led outgoing Government of Nigeria.
“Intersociety is making bold to say that “the CJN-Tinubu factor” is the greatest threat to the 2023 PEPT especially its membership, proceedings and outcomes. We are also not unaware of strong allegations leveled against the CJN over his alleged partisan comments during his recent alleged outings with outgoing Governor Wike of Rivers State over G-5 governors and APC and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
“It is in view of the foregoing that we are calling on lovers and defenders of democracy and rule of law in Nigeria to rise and beg CJN Olukayode Ariwoola to recuse himself from the headship of the PEPT on moral grounds so as to avoid conflict of interest.
“He must also be prayed to allow the PEPT to dispense justice in the pending cases with forensic and unbiased minds including consideration of the pending cases strictly on the preponderance of evidence and dominant public opinions regarding the shambolic outcome of the 2023 Presidential Poll”
Umeagbalasi however urged Nigerians to remain promoters of due process and rule of law at all times.
“Therefore, in spite of revolutionary angers in the minds of most Nigerian lovers of democracy and rule of law, occasioned by the armada of fraud that characterized the 2023 Presidential Poll and others; due process of law must be followed and allowed at all times.
“Nigerians must also avoid playing into the hands of the out-going Federal Government of Nigeria and its desperate and remorseless agents. This is more so when it is now on indelible record that the outgoing Government has earned an international notoriety in election rigging, bastardization and corruption of democratic process.
“It must further be noted that the outgoing Government of Nigeria is un-repentant and fiercely fighting to retain its disastrous legacy of leaving Nigeria in the hands of political bandits and banditry.
“Lovers of democracy and rule of law must therefore avoid resorting to illegalities and illegitimate acts and refrain from joining forces with political buccaneers and other undemocratic forces to unseat the present ‘Socio-Legal System’ in the country and give room for military or militant martial law; an aberration and dangerous threat to democratic principles and a fundamental breach of Section 1 (2) of the 1999 Constitution” Umeagbalasi warned.
Source: The Sun
