RE- CONCERNED AKWA IBOM ELDERS DECRY LACK OF JUSTICE IN JUDICIAL DECISIONS ON AKWA IBOM ELECTIONS
I have read with utter dismay, the unconscionable dance of shame by some otherwise revered elders of Akwa Ibom State, who out of partisan interest, have embarked on a reprehensible attempt to rubbish the Nigerian Judiciary.
Following the ruling of the Justice Umar Sadiq-led Election Petitions Tribunal ordering a rerun in the 18 local government areas of Akwa Ibom State, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state has been kicking.
If the party alone was doing this, it would be understandable. But for some disgruntled persons to hide under the so-called CONCERNED AKWA IBOM ELDERS, to as it were, DECRY LACK OF JUSTICE IN JUDICIAL DECISIONS ON AKWA IBOM ELECTIONS; smacks of insensitivity and is a brazen attempt to insult the intelligence of Nigerians in general and Akwa Ibom people in particular.
Several questions arise from the unsubstantiated allegations of these disgruntled persons against the judiciary and one of such is: Why do they believe that through propaganda, campaign of calumny and ceaseless cries of wolf, they would persuade the world to believe their seeming tales by moonlight that elections were not conducted in Akwa Ibom and Rivers State, even when the Tribunal, before which they made the petition, and were granted leave to pursue the case, had pronounced that elections indeed held in Akwa Ibom and that His Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel scored the highest number of VALID VOTES cast?
Again, since both the PDP and the APC had cross appealed the INVALIDATED VOTES in the 18 local government areas, why can't these persons parading as elders, exercise caution and restraint, so the appellate court takes its due process to determine the matter?
Why this resort to sophistry and needless arm-twisting by going on to make inconsequential press releases with a view to blackmail the Appeal Court processes, the judges and by extension the judiciary?
If the APC chieftains are satisfied with, and commend the Appeal Court as upholding justice by nullifying the governorship election in Rivers State and they have faith in that judgment, and do not entertain any fears that it was procured by their party through subterfuge and bribe, why do they turn around to crusade that, any judgment that does not go in their favour, particularly, in the case of Akwa Ibom State, is a proceed of corruption and bribery?
This senseless double standard becomes more alarming when it becomes obvious that the APC is applying double standards in dealing with the cases which is under the same judicial scrutiny.
By the way, the elections in Rivers State and Akwa Ibom State are two separate cases, with far dissimilar characteristics and factors. What is the sense in the Akwa Ibom APC leaders lumping both states together?
Is the APC telling us that in every state where election petition is in their favour, the ruling was obtained through bribery and the integrity of the process should be questioned?
It is high time the APC stopped its grandstanding and desperate quest for power so they do not derail our democracy. After all, the APC-led Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari has made anti-corruption and the rule of law, the cornerstones.
The naked dance of these misguided APC chieftains masquerading as “Akwa Ibom Elders” is an indictment on Mr. President and the APC Government. It goes to show that corruption is the benchmark of its justice administration and they are complicit in the some of the wrongs decisions taken by the country’s judiciary.
Despite our misgivings, we, in the PDP have continued to hold our faith in the Judiciary as the last bastion of hope for our democracy, and as a law abiding party has consistently respected court decisions, even when we disagree without resorting to name calling, ridiculing and desecrating the image of the Judiciary, simply because, we disagree, or that, a verdict is unfavourable to our party.
I hereby charge those who appended their signatures and names to this obnoxious release to tender unreserved apologies to the Nigerian Judiciary and the people of this great nation for their inordinate outcry, with a view to pre-empt, undermine and belittle the hard work of the Appeal Court justices, whatever outcome it be. In this circumstance, that is the responsible option left for these “Elders.”
However, let it be made clear to all concerned , that, the Akwa Ibom PDP and the overwhelming numbers of our people, who support the PDP, and who overwhelmingly voted for Governor Udom Emmanuel, will not be distracted, nor deterred by the irresponsible provocations and prevarication orchestrated by these obviously partisan and compromised persons, who foist themselves on the state as self-acclaimed elders.
Our total loyalty and confidence in the agenda of His Excellency, Udom Emmanuel for political inclusion, job and wealth creation, industrialization and sustainable development remain unshaken.
Akparawa Ephraim Akparawa Inyang-eyen
Chairman Board of Trustee
Transformation Initiative for Empowerment of Ibom People (TIEP)
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