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Zamfara: Sagay Attacks Supreme Court
Eminent lawyer Professor Itse Sagay (SAN), has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to court concerning the Supreme Court’s ruling in Zamfara and Rivers.
According to Professor Sagay, there is remedy in law for the APC on the Supreme Court’s voiding of its electoral victories in Zamfara.
He asked the APC to apply to the apex court for a review of the verdict as well as the one, barring the party from fielding candidates in Rivers State during the last elections.
The Supreme Court transferred APC’s victories in Zamfara state to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for alleged irregularities in the ruling party’s primaries, after a lower court ruled the same on Wednesday, April 24.
To Sagay, the verdicts “are a travesty of justice.”
He said in a statement sent to journalists: “The Zamfara and Rivers state judgments are a national tragedy. We should not allow our legal system to throw up such unimaginable injustice.
“This major judicial disenfranchisement of the Zamfara and Rivers electorate should be reversed. I advise the APC legal team to apply for a review of the two judgments.
“Their Lordships ought to be given an opportunity to reverse this unprecedented tragedy.
“The prefix ‘Justice’ preceding the names of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges is significant, for it prescribes what they stand for and what they represent: justice!”
Sagay pointed out that in the Governorship election in Zamfara, the APC candidate scored well over 500,000 votes while the PDP candidate scored just over 100,000 votes.
He noted that the APC won all three Senate seats in the state, seven House of Representative seats and 24 state House of Assembly seats.
The statement reads in part: “By this judgment, the landslide APC victories in the governorship, Senate, House of Representative and House of Assembly elections are transferred to the PDP.
“If the APC primaries were defective, should the electorate be deprived of their democratic and constitutional rights to vote? Is the electorate to be punished for the transgressions of party officials?
“Should the judiciary replace the electorate’s decision and install losers in office? Could the judiciary not have drawn on the deep recesses of its intellectual capacity, authority and its inexorable commitment to justice, to prevent this undemocratic calamity?
“Can the APC officials not be punished, for their lapses without denying the electorate their democratic rights? Should the judiciary take over the electoral rights of the electorate? Is this not a clear case of technical law completely overthrowing justice?
“Have the members of the Supreme Court not achieved a level of creativity and authority to provide a solution without burying democracy and taking over from the registered voters as the judicial electorate?
“If this judgment had been an international one, it could have been described as ‘shocking the conscience of humanity.’ In this case, it shocks the conscience of Nigerian humanity.”
Citing several authorities, Sagay said the Supreme Court is specially endowed with the power and authority to do justice and to ignore law when it is technical and would create injustice, and to avoid at all costs a mechanical approach to the interpretation of the law.
“Now, has justice been served in Rivers and Zamfara states? No! In one case, innocent electorate in their hundreds of thousands were prevented from voting for their party by judicial order.
“In Zamfara, where voting took place, the verdict of the electorate was taken away from the victorious party and awarded by the judiciary to the woeful losers.
“In the next four years, Zamfara state will be governed by a party and politicians rejected by the electorate. This indeed shocks the conscience of Nigerian humanity,” Sagay stated.
Supreme Court had earlier nullified all APC winners in the just concluded gubernatorial, state and national assembly elections in the state.
News
FG declares wed, Thur, Jan 1, 2025 as public holidays
Federal Government has declared Wednesday, December 25, 2024, Thursday December 26, 2024, and Wednesday January 1, 2025 as public holidays to celebrate Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year respectively.
The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government extended warm greetings to all Nigerians, urging them to use the festive period to reflect on the values of love, peace, and unity that the season signifies.
In a statement, Tunji-Ojo emphasised the importance of the season as a time to
foster harmony and strengthen bonds across families and communities.
The minister also called on Nigerians to remain committed to the peace, unity and progress of the nation for national development.
“The Christmas season is a good moment for both spiritual reflection and national renewal. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, let us demonstrate kindness and extend goodwill to one another, irrespective of our differences,” Tunji-Ojo, said.
He assured citizens of the Federal Government’s continued commitment to ensuring peace, security, and prosperity across the nation.
While wishing Nigerians a merry Christmas and a prosperous 2025, the minister expressed his confidence in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu’s Administration ushering in the new year, a better and prosperous economy that will be the envy of the world.
News
Basketmouth slams filmmakers for failing to showcase Nigeria’s culture in movies
Popular comedian and filmmaker, Bright Okpocha, aka Basketmouth, has accused some of his colleagues of not showcasing Nigeria’s rich culture in their movies.
The movie star alleged that most of the epic movies released recently do not promote the country’s culture.
In an interview with Hip TV, Basketmouth claimed that the filmmakers wasted opportunities to showcase Nigeria’s culture positively.
He said, “I believe that we still have the opportunity to get it right. But we had a great opportunity to showcase our culture and most of the filmmakers blew it up. They just ruined that great chance because I see epic movies and they look like stage plays.
“When I was seeing most of the epic movies, I was disappointed.
“You guys blew up a great opportunity but let’s hope we still have another chance to strike at it.
“I’m sorry, only very few movies have impressed me so far. I believe that we can do more.”
News
Gov Abiodun commiserates with Makinde, Soludo, Wike over stampede victims
The chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, SGF, and Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has sympathised with the governments and people of Oyo, Anambra, and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, over the tragic loss of lives resulting from recent stampedes at food palliative distribution venues in the affected areas.
The stampedes reportedly claimed the lives of approximately 65 Nigerians, while others sustained varying degrees of injury.
Abiodun expressed his sorrow in sympathy notes to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Charles Soludo of Anambra State, and Nyesom Wike of the Federal Capital Territory, saying that the deaths of the victims were especially tragic because they were pursuing necessities for survival.
The SGF Chairman noted that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, together with other levels of government, is still working to improve the living standards of the populace, despite the current economic difficulties they confront.
To prevent further tragedy, Abiodun urged all Nigerians to exercise caution and follow security procedures when attending palliative distribution events.
He said: “Deaths such as these diminish us as a people. These disasters occurred at a time when families around the world are in a festive and joyous mood. It is indeed tragic.
“I, on behalf of my family and the good people of Ogun State, commiserate with my brother governors, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Charles Soludo of Anambra State, and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, the families of the victims, and all Nigerians on these unfortunate incidents.
“May the souls of the departed rest in peace.”
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