Justice denied in Plateau state as civil society urges NJC to reprimand Appeal Court

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room) has issued a strong call to the Nation Judicial Council (NJC) to take immediate action following a landmark judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agbim of the Supreme Court. The judgment pertains to the appeal of the Plateau State Governorship election petition and raised concerns about the Court of Appeal’s handling of legislative election appeals in Plateau State.

Justice Agbim’s statements during the ruling have ignited a fervent response from the Situation Room. In the judgment, he emphasized the Supreme Court’s longstanding stance that the nomination of candidates is an internal matter for political parties, and he urged “the legal profession to wake up.”

Of particular note is Justice Inyang Okoro’s concurring statement, expressing his worry about the repercussions of the Court of Appeal’s decisions: “My only worry is that a lot of people have suffered as a result of the Court of Appeal’s decision. It was absolutely wrong.”

The Situation Room firmly believes that a grave miscarriage of justice occurred, undermining the will of the people in Plateau State. This injustice is attributed to the actions of the Court of Appeal panel responsible for handling cases involving legislators elected at the State and National Assembly levels in Plateau State.

The statement released by the Situation Room, signed by Y.Z Ya’u, Convener, and Mimidoo Achakpa, Co-Convener, stresses the importance of accountability: “Given that the Court of Appeal was the final judicial authority over these matters, and the fact that the Supreme Court had set precedents that were binding on the Court of Appeal panel, it is crucial for the NJC to take steps to hold the Justices of the panel in the Court of Appeal, and similar appeal panels, accountable for their blatant violation of established precedents.”

The Situation Room contends that the actions of the Court of Appeal panel have caused severe injustice and violated the democratic right of the people to choose their elected representatives. They insist that these actions should not go unpunished.

The statement further calls on the NJC to reassert the importance of judicial precedence in the judgment processes and ensure that judges adhere to this well-established principle of judicial practice. Failing to do so, they warn, may lead to further violations of our justice system and judicial traditions.

The Situation Room concludes by warning that the court system and judicial traditions, which have been violated by this appeal panel, may continue to be targeted by judicial officers seeking opportunities to undermine our justice system.