Using the judiciary as a tool of subjugation. The APC example

By Uche Aguoru

The law which is the only measure that globally equals the poor and the rich, the powerful and the weak, the learned and unlearned and thereby referred to as the last hope of the common man, in Nigeria of today seems to have become a source of intimidation and oppression for the ruling class in the APC led government

The symbol of the judiciary is a blind woman holding a scale on one hand a sword on the other hand but justice Ambrosia and The APC led government seems to be trying very hard to confute that age long symbol of the judiciary being a blind woman and holding a balanced scale which only tilts towards equity and justice.

The recent judgment of the rivers state governorship tribunal which sat in Abuja have shown the desperation of the APC and abuse of power, if the confessions of justice Pindiga on how he was threatened and dismissed as the tribunal judge handling the rivers state governorship election tribunal is any thing to go by, then the judiciary in Nigeria is in trouble.

One can easily recall how the PDP witnesses during the trial were always threatened and intimidated by the DSS, making the outcome of the tribunal handling the rivers election petition easily predictable by all followers of the tribunal proceedings, the judgment didn't come as a surprise to me and many others who followed events preceding the ruling of justice ambrosia who took over after the sacking of justice Pindiga.

Justice Ambrosia from all indications came to read an already written script by the APC making mockery of the electoral act of 2010 which has been cited in the determination of so many other electoral petitions going on in different parts of the country.

A case in hand is that of the Lagos state PDP versus APC which the appellate court sitting on the matter ruled that the failure of card reader in an election can not be used as a substantial ground to cancel an election, also justice Gumi in delivering judgment in the delta state governorship election petition between Chief Great Ogboru of the Labour Party and Ifeanyi Okowa of the PDP which held in Asaba also concurred with the appeal courts judgment of Lagos state in delivering his judgment.

Though I am not a lawyer, but in sensitive cases such as that of electoral matters one would have thought that precedence should be followed from higher judicial bodies such as the appellate court to act as a guide in the determination of such matters thereby making one to wonder why justice Ambrosia will use a different measure to determine a matter which precedence has already been set by a higher court.

That judgment which has roundly received knocks from legal luminaries across the nation will naturally not stand the test of time unless the APC which forms the government at the centre has decided to tie the judiciary under its Apron and use it as tool for hatchet jobs as it has been the case with the law enforcement agencies.

I still have confidence that the appeal court will correct the errors done by justice Ambrosia if allowed by the APC, but in a situation whereby that error of justice ambrosia is upheld by the appeal court I have no doubt in my mind that the good people of rivers state which is traditionally a PDP dominated state will surely take up their voters card and vote the PDP and Governor Nyesom Wike back to the rivers state government house.

But the danger in using the judiciary as a tool of oppression is that the wounds of injustice comes too deep that it refuses to heal, and in a country where the citizens loses hope in their judicial system anarchy becomes imminent.

The great Martin Luther king said and I quote "Injustice any where is a threat to justice every where" - Martin Luther king Jnr.

Aguoru
Writes from Umuahia

Ok

That is the results of Buhari's dictatorial acumen. APC trying to get Rivers and Akwa Ibom through the back door. I strongly urge the electorate to shame APC in this game.

Its so painfull that our judicial system which is suppose to help protect the interest of the oppressed in our society has been compromised by our greedy and incapable politicians.

I have said it before and will say it again. We are gradually and steadily moving back to the era where the power that be determines who governs you and no longer your vote.