The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southwest has raised the alarm over involvement of judges in activities of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), warning that democracy in the country risks imminent collapse if the judiciary is not purged of political judges.
The party said it was shocked to read in some newspapers today, that some judges, including the suspended President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami, were the ones who prevailed on the ACN leadership to favour former Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu as its candidate for the Ondo State governorship election.
Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Kayode Babade said in a statement issued today that; “If truly, Justice Salami and other judges were the ones who dictated Akeredolu as ACN gubernatorial candidate for Ondo State, then democracy is in trouble!”
He said; “We have said it several times been that Akeredolu is going to be compensated by the ACN, being the party’s hatchet man at the National Judicial Council (NJC), and it must beat the imagination of sane minds how a governorship aspirant of a political party will remain as member of the NJC.
“It should be recalled that Akeredolu attended the NJC meeting in which the recommendation reinstating Justice Salami was made, and he (Akeredolu) was among the 11 NJC members who voted in support of the reinstatement.
“Therefore, with the involvement of judges, including Justice Salami in the reported emergence of Akeredolu, we can then assume that the judicial rigging of the forthcoming Ondo State gubernatorial election has started.
“The question lovers of democracy in Nigeria must now begin to ask is what will happen to litigation arising from the election?
“Isn’t it a fait accompli that the ACN would again be awarded judicial victory should the party lose the election? And if ACN wins, it means that any party that goes to the tribunal to challenge the election result will just be wasting its time because the judges will definitely not annul the election of its candidate.
“And with the involvement of Justice Salami in the selection of ACN candidate in Ondo State, isn’t it now, confirmed that he (Salami) has convivial relationship with the ACN and leaders?
“Again, what evidence do we need to proof that the Appeal Court judgments that enthroned ACN in Ekiti and Osun States were products of Justice Salami’s convivial relationship with ACN and its leader, Bola Tinubu?
“Nigerians must therefore begin to ask questions on the the alleged involvement of Justice Salami and some other judges in the selection of ACN governorship candidate in Ondo State because if we don’t, we stand the risk of sending democracy to the grave in the country very soon.”