…says channel your attacks on political parties

The Supreme Court on Saturday came hard on some Nigerians who had been “venting convoluted anger”, following its recent pronouncements, which affirmed a former Governor of the Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, and Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, senatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress in the February 25 elections.

The Apex Court warned purveyors of such attacks on the judiciary and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, especially the United States-based Professor, Farooq Kperogi and Progressive Minds Forum, to desist and channel such energies to political parties which “fail to organise themselves well.”

The Director of Press And Information in Supreme Court, Dr Festus Akande, issued the warning in a statement titled, “Be mindful of unwarranted attacks on judicial officers.”


According to him, as of the moment, over 600 cases have so far gone to court from just party primaries which were conducted by political parties without any encumbrance or interference from any external bodies.

The statement reads, “We have watched with utter dismay some unfortunate events that have been unfolding in the country, particularly within the political landscape, for some days now.

“It is so disheartening to learn that some individuals and groups of persons who ought to know better and even assume the revered positions of role models to a larger proportion of the citizens are now sadly, the very ones flagrantly displaying ignorance and infantilism in the course of defending the indefensible.


“In an ineptly scripted toxic article, one Farooq Adamu Kperogi, who described himself as a Nigerian-American Professor, decided to plunge into an abysmal pit of irredeemable ignorance by venting convoluted anger on Supreme Court Justices with a view to pleasing his paymasters.

“We have made it abundantly clear on different occasions that Judicial Officers are neither political office holders nor politicians that should be dressed in such robes.

“Our silence must not be mistaken for weakness or cowardice.

“Certainly, every Nigerian citizen has an inalienable right to express his or her opinion without any encumbrance; but even in the course of expressing such fundamental right, we should be circumspect enough to observe the caution gate of self-control in order not to infringe on another person’s right.

“Even in a state of emotional disequilibrium, we should be reasonable enough to make a good choice of decent words, as every word employed by the pen-happy Kperogi only succeeded in portraying the kind of vacuum that sign-posts all that he has as academic accomplishment.

“I believe those who possess similar credentials with him are obviously ashamed of celebrating any form of affinity with such a character that has an odious reputation for being a serial verbal assailant over the years, as he see
“So, will the political parties, Kperogi or any individual now accuse the court of causing such unpleasant intra-party wrangling that defied all internal conflict resolution mechanisms?

“Most times, some people try as much as possible to disingenuously stand logic on its head to show their level of unimaginable dexterity.

“Those who have cultivated the unfashionable penchant of always attacking the Judiciary over every judgment or ruling given should better have a rethink and start channelling such robust energy into some ventures that are more developmental than destructive.

“We are not politicians and should not, by any stroke of imagination, be cast in that mould either.

“Nobody’s interest can ever supersede the interest of everybody. Nigeria is bigger than every one of us. A word is enough for the wise

https://punchng.com/supreme-court-lambasts-critics-of-recent-judgements/

Nonsense again