The national executive council (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) says it has resolved to petition the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies over claims of interference in the judicial process.
The resolution followed comments attributed to Rabiu
Kwankwaso, national leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), in which
he claimed involvement in engagements with justices of the Supreme Court during
the 2019 Kano governorship election proceedings.
Kwankwaso claimed that during the 2019 Kano governorship
election dispute, he took Abba Yusuf, Kano governor, to see justices of the Supreme Court after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
declared the election inconclusive.
The apex court later ruled in favour of Abdullahi Ganduje, affirming his election and dismissing Yusuf’s petition.
Kwankwaso made the remarks while addressing supporters,
after Yusuf’s recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reacting to the comments in a statement posted on X by Etaba
Agbor, secretary to the Nigerian Bar Association Young Lawyers’ Forum, the NBA
said the NEC deliberated on the comments after they attracted widespread public
attention.
The body noted that such claims, whether made directly or by
implication, are capable of undermining public confidence in the independence
of the judiciary and Nigeria’s electoral justice system.
The association said the scope of the petition would not be
limited to Kwankwaso alone but would extend to any individual who has made
statements, admissions or public comments suggesting improper access to
judicial officers or undue influence over judicial decision-making.
According to the NBA, the petition is directed at the claims
themselves and does not amount to a presumption of guilt.
“The objective is to ensure that allegations of this gravity
are subjected to thorough, impartial, and professional investigation,” the
association said.
The NBA added that false claims of judicial interference are
“dangerous and corrosive to constitutional democracy” and must be firmly
repudiated, while stressing that where such claims are found to be true,
accountability must follow in accordance with the law.
The NEC mandated the national executive committee of the NBA
to prepare and submit a formal petition to the Nigeria Police Force and other
relevant security agencies, requesting a comprehensive investigation into all
such claims.
The NBA reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law,
judicial independence, and the integrity of the courts.
Kwankwaso’s comments have since sparked public debate and
criticism, particularly among legal practitioners, over their implications for
judicial independence.
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