By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano
The All Progressive Congress (APC) has warned the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), to stop dragging the name of the judiciary to the mud, over alleged bribery scandal, rocking Kano state National and State Assembly Tribunal .
A Statement signed by immediate-past Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs in Kano, Malam Muhammad Garba, and made available to journalists, on Thursday, accused Kano state government of plots to influence justice at the Tribunal through propaganda.
Our Correspondent reports that Kano state government has hailed the chairman of Kano National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, for raising the alarm over attempts by some politicians to infiltrate and influence the judgment of the Tribunal through gratification and monetary inducement.
Justice Azinge had accused a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) of making himself available for politicians to use him penetrate and bribe members of the Tribunal, including her.
The allegation she raised during the Tribunal sitting, attracted opposition from some lawyers who had urged her to channel it to appropriate authorities.
Justice Azinge, who had warned members of the Tribunal to remain patriotic and shun bribery, threatened to expose politicians and their proxies who approach her with monetary inducements to thwart justice.
The Statement signed by Malam Garba, who is the Chief of Staff to the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje reads: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) government in Kano state against dragging the name of the chairman of the National and State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Hon. Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge to disrepute because of its apparent dismal defence performance at the tribunal.
“The APC said the deliberate attempt by the Kano state government to malign the tribunal chairman for fear of what could be possibly the final judgement, by creating a fictitious story and quoting her out context, amounts to disrespect for the judge and the judiciary in general.”
Malam Garba who was the former spokesperson for Gawuna/Gari Campaign Council, further stated that, “when Hon. Justice Azinge made the revelation on the alleged attempt to bribe a member of the tribunal by a senior lawyer, she never named any particular party, but just to denigrate the APC, the NNPP government referred to the APC as the bribe giver.”
He noted further that, “the Kano state government is also preempting the possible unreveling of the actual bribe giver by the tribunal and therefore wanted to malign the judge.”
Garba also said that, “the made up story, which is contained in a statement issued by the state commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye, further indicated that the government is trying to vilify the tribunal before the judgement so that it draws sympathy from unsuspecting public in the event it is defeated.”
The former commissioner pointed out that, “to also further confirm how perplexed they are, they filed an appeal while the tribunal is still holding it’s proceedings, saying however that their action will not stop the election petition tribunal from going on with its sittings until it delivers final judgement.”
He stated that, “even with an apparent sign of victory on its side, the APC has not and will never offer any bribe to anyone involved in the case considering that it has presented facts and figures to prosecute the matter before the tribunal.”
Malam Garba observed that, “while the APC had presented all it’s witnesses during the proceedings of the tribunal who have been successfully cross examined, the NNPP government, he added, has failed to present any tangible witness to depend it’s case.”
The former commissioner insisted that, “the action of the Kano state government was nothing but gimmickry and an attempt to also desparage the APC.
“While reaffirming its commitment to patiently continue seeking legal redress in the case, the APC is confident it will eventually reclaim its stolen mandate.”
However, in an earlier statement Thursday morning, the state Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Dantiye said : “The attention of Kano state government has been drawn to an allegation made by the chairman of Kano National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal Hon. Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge that there was an attempt to bribe a member of the tribunal with money in order to sway Justice in favour of his client as according to her, “money has been flying in the Tribunal.”
“The Kano state government views the incidence with a great concern as there is a strong rumour going round that some strong forces within the APC whose eyes are on Kano Election Petition Tribunals are bent on repeating what they did in 2019. They are all out to use whatever means to sway justice as was done previously.
“It is an open secret that these strong forces who are well-known for their corrupt attitude are working tirelessly to scuttle the hard earned mandate of the people of Kano state.
“No doubt, all eyes are looking at the direction of the former Kano state governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje whose accession to the APC national chairmanship was opposed by senior and founding members of the party and indeed majority of Nigerians because of various allegations cases of corruption.”
“He certainly feels emboldened by what is generally perceived as his unfortunate and undemocratic selection as APC chairman who is rumoured to be all out to influence the outcome of various Election Petition Tribunals in Kano in particular and other states in general.
“The state government views this as a litmus test for present administration to show Nigerians its commitment to fighting corruption and defending democratic principles by ensuring that this case is thoroughly investigated and the culprits prosecuted. The anti-corruption agencies are equally expected to swing into action especially when this type of allegation was made in open court by a respected Judge.
“However, the government views with delight the action of the Tribunal chairperson Hon. Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge as a positive testimony that there is still hope in the Nigerian judiciary and there are Judges and Justices with high sense of integrity abound in our
country.
“The state government also thanks the good people of Kano that voted for the NNPP into power with well over one million votes at a time when it didn’t have federal, state, local government and financial resources.
“The government therefore notes and appreciates the readiness of Kano people to defend their mandate through whatever means possible.”