Coalition alerts judiciary to protect, promote interest of Nigerians

The coalition of Ethnic Nationalities has urged the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA)to wake up to its responsibility of protecting and promoting the interest of the judiciary for all Nigerians irrespective of differences.

The coalition alleged that politicians were disobeying court orders deliberately and ridiculing the authority of the institution of the judiciary, warning that the trend must stop.

The Coalition in a communique said, “The Nigerian Bar Association ( NBA) needs to wake up to its responsibility of protecting and promoting the interest of the judiciary. Politicians are disobeying court orders deliberately, thereby ridiculing the authority of the institution of the judiciary. This must be stopped.”

The communique was jointly issued by Yerima Shettima, National President, Arewa youths consultative Forum, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo youths council, Eric Oluwole, President Yoruba Youths council, Abubakar Kurawa of Arewa lawyers progressive forum and Israel Uwejeyan, President Ñiger Delta Youth Congress.

The coalition asked for the arrest of former PDP governorship flagbearer, Dauda Lawal for organising a rally after a court of competent jurisdiction disqualified him and all candidates in the last primary elections.

The group said it was a smear on decorum, abuse of judicial verdict and a classical example of contempt of court to ignore the decision of the court and carry on with the rally as if nothing has happened, expressing shock by the development.

The communique also said the court initially nullified the primaries that produced Emmanuel Bwacha and Aishatu Binani as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidates for Taraba and Adamawa States respectively and that the two candidates stopped their rallies immediately and proceeded to the Court of Appeal and won back their cases.

The group claimed that it learnt the former PDP candidate boasted that he has held meetings with the Zamfara State Commissioner of Police( CP) before embarking on the rally, alleging it could be the reason why the CP failed to take appropriate action by investigating and sanctioning Dauda Lawal, saying that it has reason to suspect that the CP is compromised.

The communique urged the Inspector General of Police not to spare the Zamfara PDP governorship candidate, saying his arrest should serve as a deterrent to others as no Nigerian citizen should consider himself or herself above the law, more so under a democracy.

It called on INEC to consider disqualifying PDP candidate Dauda Lawal even on the grounds of sponsoring thuggery for physical assault and injury to innocent Zamfara people and the destruction of billboards.

The communique advised the IG of Police to replace the current CP of Zamfara, alleging the aloofness of the police in the State on an issue that requires prompt arrest of Malam Dauda Lawal, warning that it smacks of suspicious moves to cover up contempt case as well as the Director-General of DSS in Abuja to replace the Zamfara DSS boss for alleged compromise as well.

According to the communique, there is no justification for the violence unleashed by the thugs in a fragile state like Zamfara unless there is a deliberate plot to reverse the gains made by Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle in the fight against insecurity.