By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have asked for the review of the Appeal court verdict which upheld the sack of Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang.
The CSOs, under the aegis, National Civil Society Consultative Forum (NCSCF) on Election Integrity, stated this at a press briefing Tuesday in Abuja.
Speaking through their Convener, Salaudeen Hashim, the group said the judgment of the Court of Appeal nullifying the election of Gov. Mutfwang, if left unreviewed, posed great danger to democracy.
Speaking on the theme “Concerns Over Threat to Multi-party System Despite Compliance With The Electoral Act, Court Orders and Judicial Independence Post-2023 General Elections,” the group lamented what they described as “dangerous encroachment into judicial independence in the country”.
According to the group, “this type of outcome will also breed hatred and voter apathy in subsequent elections”.
They lamented that “evidence showed how several conflicting judgments handed down by several courts of record significantly constrained political participation and associative freedoms.
“The civic space declines when conflicting judgments influence electoral outcomes in a direction that is inconsistent with the wishes of the electorate.
“Conflicting court judgments also slow down the expeditious delivery of justice by increasing the number of cases requiring appellate consideration”.
On the Plateau verdict, they said: “The Appeal Court panel based its decision on the premise that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State had no valid structure and had violated a state High Court order that directed the party to conduct fresh congresses in the state.
“However, this claim is contradicted by the fact that the political party had complied with the court order and held a legitimate State Congress on the 25th of September 2021, where delegates from all the 17 Local Government Areas of the state participated and elected their representatives.
“Therefore, the Appeal Court judgment that sacked all the elected members in the state, including the Governor, is seen as unjust, unfair, and baseless, and we join our voices with legal luminaries, such as Femi Falana SAN, Daniel Bwala, Kalu Agu, and several Nigerian citizens, who have rejected and condemned the verdict and appeal to the Supreme Court to correct the anomaly.
“We urge political actors to refrain from any actions that may undermine the integrity of the judiciary or compromise the independence of judges. Attempts to exert undue influence, make unfounded allegations, or engage in any form of intimidation against the judiciary threaten the landscape of democratic infrastructure.
“The fulcrum for today is to call on all stakeholders, including political parties, electoral bodies, and the general public, to respect and uphold the independence of the judiciary.
“A fair and impartial judicial system is essential for the peaceful conduct of elections and the overall stability of the democratic process.
“CSOs are hereby using this platform to encourage the electoral authorities to ensure transparency, efficiency, and fairness in the electoral process.
“We therefore request for a judicial review in Plateau. This includes providing adequate resources, training, and support for the judiciary to fulfill its crucial role in resolving electoral disputes and upholding the principles of justice”.
They called for the amendment of the nation’s electoral laws; independence of electoral institutions; and that CSOs should enhance their role as independent watchdogs by monitoring various electoral stages, including voter registration, campaigning, voting, vote counting, and legal proceedings.
