By Daniel Tyokua
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the judgement delivered by Abuja High Court sitting in the Bwari Area Council which purportedly ‘sacked’ Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
Justice Bello Kawu, nullified Ubah’s election, for allegedly using a forged National Examination Council (NECO) certificate to contest the senatorial election that was held in the state on February 23, 2019.
The judge had on April 11, 2019, ordered that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to withdraw the Certificate of Return it issued to Ubah and issue a fresh one to Obinna Uzoh of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was not a candidate in the election neither was he on the ballot.Ubah polled a total of 87, 081 votes to emerge, winner of the Anambra South Senatorial District.
But the group in a statement issued on Sunday by the national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko and Zainab Yusuf, the media director described as the greatest disservice to the Principle of Rule of law and a massive travesty of justice given the fact that the Court overreached itself and made an order that is substantially dubious and unsustainable because the person being asked to be sworn was never in the ballot paper.
HURIWA stated that the Abuja High Court has increased the credibility crises tearing the nation’s judiciary apart because it has just awarded the Senate seat of an election to a claimant that was never in the ballots.
According to the statement, the Rights group said it will approach the National Judicial Council to ask for severe sanctions for the presiding judge Mr. Bello Kawu for bringing the nation’s judicial system into disrepute.
HURIWA recalled that following his application for a stay of execution, Justice Kawu, on December 4, restrained the Senate president from swearing-in Uzoh, pending the hearing and determination of the motion challenging the verdict just as the court equally ordered all the parties, including the INEC to maintain the status quo until it decides the merit in Ubah’s contention.
However, the judge has just held that Ubah’s application to vacate its judgment lacked merit and accordingly dismissed it just as he also dismissed a motion another claimant to the PDP senatorial ticket, Chief Chris Uba, filed to be joined as an interested party in the substantive suit marked CV/3044/2018, which was filed before the court by an electorate in the state, Anani Chuka.
The Rights group said by not joining the actual PDP Senatorial Candidate Chief Chris In a Abuja High Court has clearly demonstrated an unnatural interest in midwifing a predetermined outcome in the suit. The Rights group said it will ask the NJC to investigate the Judge to ascertain his special interest in the matter.
