Relocation of Abia Election Petition Panel to Abia Govt House, desperate attempt by LP to subvert justice, Group alleges
By Emma Ogbuehi
The relocation of the Abia State Election Petition Tribunal from Abuja to Abia State Government House has been described as a desperate attempt by the Labour Party (LP) to manipulate the process and subvert justice. This was an allegation by a group, Abia Renaissance Movement (ARM)
In a statement signed by its Convener, Comrade Ukachukwu Chukwunonso, and its Secretary-General, Comrade Mrs Maria Nwokoma on Monday, 12th June 2023 in Umuahia and made available to the media, the group, argued that while it is not in support of any political party, it is against any attempt to manipulate the judicial process to favour any political party against another, saying keeping quiet in the face of injustice negates its cardinal principles of equity, justice and fairness to all.
The group wondered “why the tribunal handling an election matter in which the current Abia State Government is a defendant be relocated from Abuja to Abia, and to make matters worse, to an office right inside the Government House in Umuahia, when all the circumstances that informed the initial relocation to Abuja are still prevalent.”
READ ALSO:
June 12: Why Nigerians must never take democracy for granted – Tinubu
Part of the group’s statement is reproduced below:
“We have observed with grave concern the hurried and surreptitious relocation of the Abia State Election Petition Tribunal from Abuja back to Abia State, and wish to state that such a move is not only injurious to democracy but signals a grave danger to justice.
“We, just like every peace-loving Abian, view the relocation as a “desperate attempt by the Labour Party (LP) to manipulate the process and subvert justice given that they are the party in office in Abia State.
“We also wonder “why the tribunal handling an election matter in which the current Abia State Government is a defendant be relocated from Abuja to Abia, and to make matters worse, to an office right inside the Government House in Umuahia, when all the circumstances that informed the initial relocation to Abuja are still prevalent.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the delicate security situation in Abia State right now as a result of the impudent boasts to unleash mayhem on anyone with contrary political opinions and uncontrolled aggression by the supporters of the government and Labour Party in the State is still ongoing while government officials have issued veiled threats to members of PDP and even unlawfully arrested some appointees of the PDP, are still ongoing.
“Moreover, one of the key factors that led to the relocation of the Abia State Election Petition Tribunal to Abuja in the first place was the strike embarked upon by members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Abia State Chapter, which led to the locking up of courts in the state. The situation means judges cannot sit as the support staff needed for the secure and convenience involved in the dispensation of justice to litigants are not available.
“One then wonders why the Labour Party in Abia State is so desperate to rush back the relocation of the Tribunal from Abuja to the State and manipulated it to hold within its own premises of Government House, Umuahia when Abuja has all the ingredients including neutrality, security and availability of judiciary workers to ensure a hitch-free legal process and impartial dispensation of justice to all parties.
“It is our considered opinion that the suggestion to use security agents to force open the courts and the subsequent tension and chaos such an action will generate between the judiciary workers and security agents will amount to the judiciary using agents of the executive to oppress its own workers. This will further malign the judiciary.
