A political platform in Kogi State, Kogi Renaissance Group (KRG), has accused Justice Halima Mohammed and panel judges who presided over the Kogi state governorship election petition tribunal of subtly delaying the release of judgement delivered to enable aggrieved parties challenge the decision adequately at the Appeal Court.
The delay, according to the spokesman of the group, Abdulhamid Nuhu in a protest letter released to media men in Abuja, is to allow the day stipulate for appeal to elapse. This, the group claimed, is a deliberate ploy to ensure the current legal logjam favours of the governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello as the cases will be summarily dismissed for filing out of time by the Appeal Court.
This situation, he said, has clearly shown an underhand connection perfected from the court of appeal to frustrate the case by the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Adamu Bulkachuwa in view of the series of condemnation and reactions trailing the miscarriage judgement of the tribunal.
He said the group, no doubt will extend its protests to the National Judicial Council (NJC) to call Justice Halima and Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa to order for their unethical conduct to deny Kogites of good governance through manipulation of the process of Justice.
“The attitude of the tribunal chairman not to release judgement for onward processing at the Appellate court has clearly shown efforts to bring sentiments and tribal colouring to the Kogi governorship tussle”, he said.
Nuhu blamed the Justice Halima Mohammed for the delay and warned strongly that failure to release the judgement will attract the wrath of the civil society groups as Kogi people are generally not satisfied with the judgement passed by the tribunal hence the need to appeal without further delay.
He scored the judiciary low and described it as the bane of the survival of Nigerian democracy because of corrupt tendencies, saying justice must be done and must seen to be done with regards to Kogi political impasse.
