A group, Nigeria Integrity Movement, has called for transparency in the constitution of membership of the Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Appeal Panel.
The group in a letter to the Acting President of Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem, asked for transparency and sense of justice in constituting members of the panel that will adjudicate in the case.
In the letter signed by its National Coordinator, Kayode Esan, NIM said extra-judicial murder of innocent citizens during the November 2019 gubernatorial election in state should not be ignored.
“The group hereby appeals to the leadership of the Court of Appeal to exercise due diligence, transparency and sense of justice in constituting members of the Appeal Panel that will adjudicate in the case.
“This call has become imperative as a result of the various dangerous drama and travesty of justice in the Kogi State election petitions thus far culminating in the recent judgement of the tribunal that did not go down well with many keen observers of Nigeria’s justice system.
“The Acting President, Court of Appeal, Justice Dongban-Mensem is known for her unquestionable integrity and as we have always told Nigerians, the world is waiting to see the composition and decisions of the Appeal Panel as the aggrieved parties seek judicial redress.”
“The civil society group wishes to reiterate that it is privy to the surreptitious moves by some persons to undermine and subvert justice in favour of certain party to the case.
“In this wise, we express our disappointment in strongest terms against the decisions of Justice Kashim Kaigama and his colleague that sacrificed justice on the alter of personal interests at the Kogi State Election Tribunal,” Esan stated.
Kogi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Saturday, May 23, delivered its two to three split judgement in favour of Governor Yahaya Bello in the November 16, 2019 governorship election in the state.
Consequently, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the election, Engineer Musa Wada, not satisfied with the decision of the Tribunal, vowed to appeal for enduring justice to be served.
