REACTION TO SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT - JUDICIARY RESTORING BACK TOPUBLIC CONFIDENCE - GROUP

An Abuja based Non Governmental Organisation; the Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN) has described the Supreme Court judgment, validating the victory of President Goodluck Jonathan as a sign that “the temple of justice in Nigeria is restoring itself back to public confidence.”

Reacting to the judgment, the SRLN said in a statement issued by its Coordinator, Comrade Chima Ubeku that with the judgment, “It has been reaffirmed that nobody anywhere in this country will give judgment by placing the burden of proof on the Respondents against he who asserts.”

“We wish to congratulate the top echelon of the Nigeria judiciary on this judgment, which will erase any doubt in future about who has the burden to proof between the petitioner and the respondent, especially in election cases.

“As against the Salamic Judicial Authority, which placed the burden of proof on the respondents, and on which basis judgments were entered in favour of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) on Ekiti and Osun States governorship cases, now the Supreme Court has once again affirmed that it is 'he who asserts that must proof.'

“We are therefore happy that the judiciary is being restored to how it used to be and we congratulate Nigerians for this development,” the group said.