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Plateau: CSO Alleges Miscarriage of Justice, Urges NJC to Dismiss Culprits

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Guardians of Democracy and Development Initiative, a famed rights group has called for the immediate sack of the President of the Appeal Court and all the justices that participated in the ill-fated miscarriage of justice in Plateau State and elsewhere following the 2023 general elections.

This is coming as the Election Petition Tribunal and Appeal Court in Plateau State had intentionally set aside judicial precedents and material evidence before it and nullified the elections of all candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over a matter outside their respective jurisdictions.

While addressing journalists during a Press conference in Abuja, the National Convener of the group Comr. Igwe Ude-Umanta unequivocally charged the National Judicial Commission (NJC) to immediately sack those involved in the broad day judicial miscarriage and willful assault on democracy to forestall a repeat of such nuisance.

According to the release, “our democracy has been punched in the face by a set of Judges who abandoned the law, judicial precedents and sound legal reasoning to pursue interests suspected to be pecuniary. Across the country, many elected officials lost their freely given mandate in suspect judgements in which the Election Petition Tribunal or Court of Appeals assumed jurisdictions over matters it has none.

“More disastrous is the monumental disaster which swept off nearly all the mandates given to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau.
The brazen judicial heist by the Justices of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Elfrieda Williams-Dawodu who presided over the cases emanating from Plateau State did was horrendous to say the least. It remains one of the greatest assaults on democracy in Nigeria.

The rights group insisted that, the judiciary which has always been the final refuge of the common man must have no place for compromised misfits, shuddering at the possibility of such Judges finding their way to the Supreme court and the damage it will wrought our judicial system and democracy.

“For the records, these Justices unjustly sacked 2 Senators, 3 members House of Representatives and 16 State House of Assembly members in Plateau State. There was no reason in the Nigerian laws to have done that. We have every reason to believe that justice was deliberately miscarried and NJC must wield the big hammer. There was a malicious intent and it must be treated as such in line with disciplinary guidelines of the NJC. This mess must be repudiated and remedied”, the statement added.

While lauding the thorough and professional intervention of Supreme Court Justices in the Governorship election cases of Plateau, Kano and Zamfara were compromised Judges of the Court of Appeal had earlier truncated justice for personal and selfish gains, the rights group maintained the era of vexatious and perverse judgements must come to end in Nigeria.

“Save for the Supreme Court, the crises that would have been ravaging Plateau State now if the case of Governor Caleb Mutfwang were to be terminated at the Court of Appeal like those of the House of Assembly and National Assembly would have been unimaginable. Same for Kano and Zamfara. The country would have gone up in flames because these few errant Judges or Justices at the Election Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

“The Supreme Court has always distinguished itself and in delivering the judgement in Plateau State Governorship election, Justice Emmanuel Agim was emphatic in stating that the Election Petition Tribunal and Appeal Court lack jurisdiction to entertain pre-election matters, adding that the Supreme Court has held in a plethora of cases that the sponsorship of a candidate for election is an internal affairs of a Political Party. The willful disregard for judicial precedents is therefore, unacceptable and deemed malicious. Those Justices should therefore be sacked forthwith,” the statement added.

The right group passionately made a clarion call on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to act with dispatch and firmly to restore the hope of Nigerians in the judiciary, arguing further that, in spite of the brilliant intervention of the Supreme Court, the judiciary is in a mess as far as these judgements are concerned and without any form of pretension, sweeping it under carpet will be injurious to Nigerians.

“We cannot pretend that this is a case of mere mistake or differences in legal opinion. There is total lack of confidence in the Court of Appeal as we speak, especially against the backdrop of how they were severely berated by the Supreme Court. This looks more like a judicial hatchet job. The NJC should get rid of all Justices like those both in the Court of Appeal and the Tribunal for Plateau, Kano and Zamfara States. They should be sacked now before they will corrupt the system completely,” the statement concluded.

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PANDEF Clarifies Visit To Tinubu, Knocks Wike Over Inflammatory Comments

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The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to prevail on the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike to retract his publicly disparaging remarks made recently against the socio-political body.

PANDEF described as regrerrable and embarrassing comments by Wike in the aftermath of the group’s visit to Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, even to the extent of insulting the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin.

Recall that the FCT minister had, on Thursday, during a media chat, described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, while also calling the board of trustee members of the body “political merchants”.

In a statement signed by PANDEF Chairman on Saturday in Abuja, Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali, urged President Tinubu as the father of the nation, to prevail upon the Honourable Minister to retract his inflammatory statements and extend due respect to these eminent.

Igali clarified that the meeting with the president provided a valuable platform to discuss pressing issues of national and regional importance. Adding that “PANDEF remains unwavering in its commitment to peace, stability, and equitable development in the Niger Delta. We will continue to engage with great vigour, all relevant stakeholders in pursuit of lasting harmony in Rivers State and the broader South-South region.”

His words: ^To set the record straight, PANDEF the foremost socio-political body representing the South-South regions, composed of some of Nigeria’s most distinguished personalities. The delegation to Mr. President included chairpersons of at least four of the six SouthSouth states’ traditional councils, senior traditional rulers of major ethnic groups, former governors, past presiding officers of the Senate, prominent entrepreneurs, academics, and high-ranking retired military officers.

“It is, therefore, highly regrettable and totally unacceptable that a serving minister in the Federal Government would exhibit such brazen disrespect towards individuals of this standing. This attitude perhaps explains his continued refusal of the Minister to engage with the Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which PANDEF constituted as far back as October 2024, despite repeated attempts to reach.

“The Honourable Minister (Wike) characterized PANDEF as the worst organization ever” and accused its members of visiting the Presidential Villa merely to solicit financial favors. These statements are not only false but also unbecoming of a public official of his stature.

“PANDEF hereby calls upon Mr. President, as the father of the nation, to prevail upon the Honourable Minister to retract his inflammatory statements and extend due respect to these eminent Nigerians and traditional rulers who were, after all, esteemed guests of the Commander-in-Chief. It is apt to remind that the Minister does not own the Niger-Delta and his errant conduct should not be condoned.

“Notwithstanding this regrettable development, PANDEF remains unwavering in its commitment to peace, stability, and equitable development in the Niger Delta. We will continue to engage with great vigour, all relevant stakeholders in pursuit of lasting harmony in Rivers State and the broader South-South region,” Igali stated.

On efforts to restore peace in River State, Igali restated PANDEF’s commitment for peace in the oil-rich State.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which remains committed to resolving the Rivers State crisis,” Igali stated.

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IPOB’s lawyer accuses Anambra govt of violating citizens’ rights, wants all arrested charged to court

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The counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on the Anambra State Government to either charge to court or release individuals allegedly detained for the past five weeks without trial.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Ejiofor criticized what he described as “violations of citizens’ rights,” emphasizing that the detainees have not been presented before any court or formally charged with a crime.

“Today, March 15, 2025, marks five full weeks since several citizens of Anambra State were arbitrarily arrested and detained in a private facility controlled by the state government. Shockingly, they have not been charged with any offense or brought before any court of law. This is a flagrant violation of their fundamental rights,” Ejiofor stated.

He expressed concern that the detainees were not held by the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), or the military, but instead in an undisclosed facility, without any official explanation from the government.

Ejiofor, who has previously supported the government’s security efforts, urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to ensure the rule of law is upheld.

“I have always championed active citizen participation in combating insecurity and have publicly urged the government to act against criminal elements. However, this must be done legally and transparently,” he said.

While commending the efforts of the state’s Agụnechemba security outfit, Ejiofor insisted that professionalism and adherence to due process are crucial.

He reaffirmed his support for lawful measures to combat crime but warned that arbitrary detentions could erode public trust in the government’s security strategy.

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Osun Amotekun recruits accuse Adeleke’s govt of nepotism

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The Osun State Amotekun Corps has denied allegations of nepotism in its ongoing recruitment of 1,000 cadets, following claims by some dismissed recruits that they were removed in favor of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members.

Some affected candidates, seen outside the NYSC camp venue in Osogbo, alleged they were removed due to their affiliation with the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking on behalf of the group, a dismissed cadet, Usman, claimed that they had been in camp since Sunday before being replaced by PDP members, some of whom, he alleged, were unfit for training.

However, Amotekun’s Board Chairman, retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Wale Abass, dismissed the allegations as baseless. He explained that those removed from the training camp either failed to meet the required standards or did not follow the proper recruitment process.

“The 1,000 cadets invited for training went through a rigorous selection process. They submitted applications online, underwent document verification, and passed physical fitness tests before being invited to camp,” Abass stated.

He further revealed that some unqualified individuals managed to gain access to the camp, while some selected candidates failed to meet the reporting deadline. Those with health issues were also disqualified.

Abass reaffirmed that the Amotekun Corps remains committed to fairness and impartiality in its recruitment process. He described the allegations as an attempt to create confusion and undermine the security outfit’s credibility.

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