A group under the aegis of Advocacy for Advancement of Peace and Harmony in Africa Initiative has criticized the Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, for sacking Governor Abdullahi Sule.
The criticism was expressed by the National Coordinator of ADAPHAI, Sulaimon Suberu while wpeaking at a briefing at Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre, Lagos.
The group said the ruling focused primarily on technicalities rather than legal and ethical concerns.
The tribunal, led by Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, voided the victory of Sule and declared David Ombugadu, of Peoples Democratic Party winner of the March 18 poll.
Sulaimon claimed documents submitted by Sule’s counsel were disregarded, and that evidence from petitioners’ witnesses without written depositions on oath was allowed.
He appealed to the appellate court to uphold the victory of Sule by reviewing the tribunal’s decision.
He called on residents to remain calm and obey the law until the court’s decision.
“While we believe in the judiciary, we are of the opinion that unlike Kaduna, Sokoto, Taraba and Ogun, with almost the same petitions, the judgment in Nasarawa did not dwell on merit and competence of the petitions before it.
“Our evaluation showed it is predicated on technicalities, thereby jettisoning the law and its intrinsic values.
“First and foremost, the absence of prior declaratory relief, setting aside Sule’s election and return is concern to us, as well as how the judgment had allowed evidence without written depositions on oath by subpoenaed witnesses called by the petitioners to stay.”
“Another fundamental area of concern is the brutal manner in which objections to admissibility and tendering of documents as raised by respondents were ignored among other pertinent issues of law.
“Having said that, we salute the courage, resilience, and bias for truth, objectivity, and fairness as exhibited by Justice Ibrahim Mashi, in his dissenting judgement; obviously, history will never forget him.
“It is on that prism that we call on the appellate court to critically and objectively look into the logic and substance of the dissenting judgement delivered by Justice Ibrahim Mashi, as a way of upholding the unassailable principles of fairness and objectivity inherent in the judiciary, as a very revered arm of government.
“In the meantime, we passionately appeal to the good people of Nasarawa State to remain calm and be law-abiding, as Governor Abdullahi Sule remains the Executive Governor of the State in the face of the law.
“We want to assure them that the judiciary, as the last hope of the common man will address every wrong in the Tribunal’s ruling of Monday 2nd October 2023 at the Appeal Court without fear or favour and with the merit of the case.
“We, hereby passionately implore the Lordships at the appeal court to critically look at those fundamentals and treat them accordingly on their merits.”
