Denounce connections with Plateau lawmaker – Group urges Appeal Court President
Sequel to recent judgments of the Court of Appeal that went against some PDP National Assembly lawmakers from Plateau State, a pro-democracy group, Peace and Good Governance Advocates, PEGGA has called on the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem to firmly rebuff the insinuations raised by a member of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Gagdi that the APC has strong connections in the judiciary to get judgment on its terms.
The group in a statement on Tuesday, said the bold assertion of Gagdi that has now gone viral gives the impression that the judiciary has been pocketed by the APC in Plateau.
Gagdi, a lawmaker representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency had in a now viral video quoted at an event in Jos, saying that the PDP could go to the Appeal Court or Supreme Court and that the two parties would show their connections.
“We have gone to the Appeal Court and the final destination is the Supreme Court and we will meet there. That is where we will know who they know and they will know who we know,” Gagdi said to the resounding applause of his APC audience.
Responding to the development, PEGGA in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Mani Imman tasked the President of the Court of Appeal to prove herself and the appellate court as being beyond the schemes of the APC on the Plateau.
“Your Lordship, Gagdi has given the impression that he and the APC can buy judgment through connections with those they know. They are openly flaunting that in the Plateau they are having their way.
“We are indeed concerned for you and your reputation, especially given the negative publicity that has recently been trailing your person over the contradictory judgments on the plateau.”
“We as such call on you to prove yourself above the tantrums thrown by Gagdi by ensuring that justice is served on the plateau. In particular, we ask you to look into the issue of why pre-election issues that the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court said should not be subject of election arbitration are being used against Plateau PDP.”
The group tasked the President of the Court of Appeal not to allow her reputation to be soiled by the egoistic schemes of politicians determined to derail the peace on the plateau and her ancestral land.
the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja recently sacked six National Assembly members (PDP), ordering a rerun in the Plateau North Senatorial zone within 90 days, others had their certificates of return withdrawn and issued to candidates of All Progressives Congress and Labour Party.
