TMG’s Statement On Supreme Court Verdicts: The Voice Of Esau And The Hand Of Jacob
Akwa Ibom Interest Movement (AIM), like other objective Nigerians, is shocked by the ignorant reaction of the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) to the Supreme Court verdicts upholding the elections of Governors Udom Emmanuel and Nyesom Wike as the validly elected governors of Akwa Ibom and Rivers States respectively. It is no hidden fact that the group is an appendage of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and as such will toe the line of its sponsors.
It is unfortunate that in its attempt to please its sponsors, the Transition Monitoring Group desperately questioned the integrity of the Justices of the Supreme Court who are working tirelessly to restore the confidence of Nigerians in our judicial system by alleging that the Supreme Court judgments are “clear cut attempts at legalizing electoral robbery”. As unfortunate as such unguarded utterance is, we believe it is in sync with APC’s fraught attempts at blackmailing the judiciary to jettison the rule of law and embrace tyranny as proposed by the leadership of the party.
If President Buhari can boldly say to the world that the judiciary is his “headache”,the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Mr. John Odigie Oyegun can call for “probe and prosecution” of Justices of the Supreme Court for carrying out their legal and constitutional duties; the spokesman of APC in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe alleging that the Justices of the Supreme Court are working to please the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), then we are not surprised that TMG joined the fray to blackmail the judiciary.
To these set of people and organizations, justice dispensation is based on party affiliation, religion, creed and gender and it becomes injustice when it does not favour their plans.
Their action is highly obstinate and smacks of hypocrisy of the highest order. These same persons and groups did commend the Supreme Court for throwing out the bid by Governor Wike to declare the sitting of the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja as being unlawful. They also praised the eminent jurists of the Supreme Court to the high heavens for upholding elections of Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo and Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe States. However, when judgment is given against them by the same court, applying the same legal principles, they call for the heads of the justices, denigrating their persons and offices.
Akwa Ibom Interest Movement states unequivocally that the Supreme Court is constituted of fearless and eminent jurists, who are not only cerebral, but totally committed to upholding their oaths of dispensation of justice and promotion of the rule of law in Nigeria. Their judgements in the Akwa Ibom and Rivers States appeals are a collective victory for our
democracy and further confirmation that the judiciary is the last hope of the common masses. We commend them for remaining resolute in the face of diabolic blackmail by desperate APC propagandists, and applying strict legal principles, devoid of sentiments and emotion in determining the appeals brought before it.
To groups and individuals like TMG, hack writers like Joe Igbokwe and lawyers who unprofessionally join the band of wailers to accuse the eminent jurists of the apex court of being compromised, we know that though we feel the hand of Esau, the voice is obviously that of Jacob. APC’s desperation to capture the oil rich south south region has never been in doubt, but the God of justice has saved the region and the oracles of justice have made their pronouncement. So, they should hold their peace and rather channel their energies towards proffering solutions to the economic doldrums that have bedeviled us as country since their incursion in power at the center last year.
SAMUEL A. ETUK ESQ
NATIONAL CONVENER