Date Published: 03/15/10

Press Statement for Immediate Release

Sokoto Election judgement and our argument

As we await the ruling of the Court of Appeal on Sokoto Election matter on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 in Sokoto after a futile attempt by Alh. Aliu Wammako and the CJN to obstruct the course of justice by illegally arresting the judgment that ought to have been delivered on February 24, 2010. We have noticed the story been planted in the media by Wammako and his co-travelers laying emphasis on how PDP/Wammako won the election of 2007 with wide margin and all other lies to buy peoples sympathy as the day of judgment is near. We want to state from the word of Nelson Mandela that “history will continue to punish those who use fraud and forces to suppress the yarning and the aspiration of the masses”.

Nigerian and the Media are wise enough and understand that the 2007 election is the worst in the history of our democratic process. Nigerian also knows better that Wammako was not qualified to contest the election abinitio. A case of Wammako is similar to a student who forged WAEC result to gain admission into the University and was later caught and expelled when he was already in the 2 nd year. Our argument rest on the premise that what kind of Judgment is Wammako expecting after been caught cheating in the classroom of electoral process? The import of this logic is that it does not matter whether Wammako won with wide or low margin in a fraudulent election that was written by the PDP control INEC. The same fraud was perpetrated by the PDP against Fayemi/AC in the Ekiti State re-run election which the judgment is still pending at the tribunal.

However, Wammako and PDP connived with the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloysius Iyoger Katsina-Alu who virtually beheaded justice recently when he ordered the President of the Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Isa Ayo Salami, and the presiding Justices of the Appeal Court sitting in Sokoto to stop forthwith the delivery of judgment on Sokoto State Governorship Election Appeal already slated for 24 th February, 2010. The aborted judgment would have put to rest the almost endless litigation of the case instituted by the candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, Alh.Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi challenging the eligibility of Alhaji Aliu Wammakko of the Peoples Democratic Party to stand in the Appeal Court ordered fresh elections, having been adjudged unqualified, abinitio, to stand for the 2007 gubernatorial election because the way he was manufactured as PDP candidate breached the electoral law and the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Alhaji Aliyu Wammako was conscripted two weeks before the general election as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate ahead of Mr. Muktar Shagari who was the original PDP candidate prior to the imposition of Wammako. This action contravened the Electoral Act of 2006 and clearly violated section 187.91)  of the Constitution that mandates any candidate to be fielded by any party to be a member of such political party at least 60 days before the election.  Wammako was known to be an ANPP flagbearer before the shady negotiation that forced Muktar Sahagari to abandon his ambition and reluctantly agree to become a running mate to less competent candidate. Apart from all this, Alhaji Wammako was not morally fit for the exalted office of Governor having been found guilty of fraud and embezzlement which led to his forced resignation and his inglorious exit from the office of the deputy governor of Sokoto State in 2006.

Amazed Nigerians who were embarrassed by this strange audacity of the CJN, rose in unison and cried blue murder to this infraction of the independence and sanctity of the judiciary by no less a person than the ‘Chief Priest’ in the mythical Temple of Justice.

Simply put, the CJN unconstitutional action is analogical to a medical doctor terminating a  nine-month pregnancy of a hale and hearty expectant mother in the labour room on a flimsy excuse that another man who also lay claim to the paternity of the expected baby complained that the midwives and nurses were biased against him! Judicial wonder in Nigeria shall never end.

WE HASTEN TO STATE THAT THIS ILLEGALITY POTENDS GRAVE DANGER AHEAD. JUSTICE DELAYED, IS JUSTICE DENIED, AND OF COURSE JUSTICE FOR SALE. INDISCRIMINATE ARREST OF BAFARAWA AND OTHER DPP STALWATS, INTIMADATION AND EVEN DEATH WOULD NOT STOP THE SOKOTO PEOPLE FROM RETREIVING THEIR MANDATE THEY FREELY GAVE ALH.MUHAMMADU MAIGARI DINGYADI.

In conclusion, it is our considered opinion that for Nigeria to move forward and also to develop our democratic process there should be no hidden place for electoral criminals like Wammako who was find guilty in an election he was not eligible to participate. We call for a speedy adoption and implementation of Justice Uwais Report on Electoral Reforms.

Oludare Ogunlana

Director of Organization and Strategy,

New Democratic League, NDL