Date Published: 11/25/10
SOKOTO STATE YOUTH FOR PEACE, DEMOCRACY AND JUSTICE
N0. 8, Bungudu Road, Sokoto, Sokoto State – Nigeria
e-mail: sokotoyouth4peace@gmail.com
PRESS RELEASE
Alert on plan to shift the date of delivery of the ruling upon withdrawal of an interlocutory civil pre election appeal before the supreme court by Governor Wamakoo and Peoples Democratic Party.
The Sokoto State Youth for Peace, Justice and Democracy has been following with keen interest attempt by Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko and desperate PDP members in Sokoto and beyond a plan to shift the date of delivery of ruling upon withdrawal of an interlocutory civil pre election appeal before the Supreme Court.
Having struggled to remain resolute in the dispensation of justice over the 2007 election petitions, it seems, regrettably, that the judiciary is now attempting to mess itself up to some extend by almost agreeing to dance to the tunes of the ruling party and few unscrupulous elements to the detriment of the common man.
We have noted with deep concern and sadness that of all the election petition cases since 1999, none has received much attention, publicity and shrouded in mystery than that of Wamakko vs Dingyadi of Sokoto State. In the Northern part of Nigeria, it may even be considered as the longest election petition ever entertained by the Judiciary. The question on the lips of most of us is that, why whenever there are election cases taken place in the southern part of the country, the cases will always be considered within a reasonable period of time, but if it is in the north, reverse is always the case?
The Supreme Court acting on a motion filed by INEC, PDP and Wamakko granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the Court of Appeal from delivering the Governorship Election Petition Appeal Judgement on the 4 th July 2010 having vacated on the same day the earlier interim Injunction granted on the 15 th March 2010.
The Motions were again heard and ruling fixed for 26 th November 2010. A plan has now been contrived by Wamakko and PDP to reach out to the Supreme Court by whatever means so as to influence and prevail on them to shift the date of the ruling till next year so that election could be held and the case before the Court of Appeal will be wiped out and the judgment will not be delivered forever.
We are still wondering if what the Supreme Court is doing, does not amount to showing personal interest on the case, because it is unimaginable to explain why the same Supreme Court that gave expedited (same day as cases were filed) hearing in the cases of Peter Obi of Anambra and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers has not only delayed ruling on the withdrawal of the interlocutory appeal motion filed by the DPP, but has gone ahead to arrest a judgment of the Court of Appeal, even though it has no constitutional power to do so.
We are therefore, calling on the Supreme Court to act fast, deliver its ruling on this matter as earlier schedule to take place on 26 th November, 2010 and lift its weight off the Court of Appeal in Sokoto, so it can deliver judgment in the pending case there, for which judgement has earlier been fixed for March 16th, 2010 so that justice can be done, and the”arrest” will not become a trend.
Signed
MALAM UMAR MAIWAKE WAMAKKO
Interim Chairman |
