If Truly The Judiciary Is The Last Hope Of The Common Man,Kogi’s Case Will Be Different Soon By Usman Okai Austin

Since the return to democracy in 1999, and during the days of the Militaty interferences and interregnum in our polity,the Judiciary,not untill recently is always the right interpreter of all anomaly arising from political,domestic,social,economic disagreements between individuals,group,party’s,parties and others.
Recent developments in the last two decades of our late return to democracy genuinely shows the willingness of the Judiciary to assert itself,in either way even though,it had enmeshed itself in alot of controversial judgements, that had thrown this country in a precarious situation,lack of confidence, capable of tearing this country apart without reservation.
In it’s good days,it had removed a sitting governor after two years at the mantle of leadership,a day to swearing in, and even an elected governor that came on board without due diligence.
Even though ,the same Judiciary at the Supreme Court level had passed a judgement in Edo,Ondo,Ekiti and lately Osun for an obvious laxity of election hooliganism by the ruling APC, that was war- like in recent times.
The earlier case of Edo,Ondo,Ekiti and Osun was a child’s play compared to the mother of all election rigging,killings and malpractices in Kogi state, that all the security agencies and apparatuses of goverment was openly and freely used to kill and maim kogites, all in the name of retaining the state for APC, by all means possible, to the embarrassement of both local and the international community.
The case of Edo in 2017 ,was played down, because the sitting governor needed a successor,even though the ruling APC did not win the election, but INEC top officials were used to stuff ballot papers and rigged for APC,under Adams Oshiomole .
When the case of Ekiti state election came up, because of the people oriented utterances of former Governor, Ayodele Fayose, APC deploy some it’s state governors to rig the election,while PDP governors were locked out using Federal might.
It was graduated in Osun into a police state ,as thugs and securtiy agencies were freely used ,but could not even get the winning margin,but manipulated to inconclusive election, were hapless voters were beaten to stupour on the day of the bye election to the costernation of the international community(ies) and observers,yet the ruling APC was declared winner.
Ondo had similar experience when some state governors that could not pay workers salaries arears for months,came up with vote buying strategy, intimidation, persecution, harrassement,open beating with imported thugs from the neighbouring APC states,to declare itself winner.
To crown the decadence and manipulative tendencies of the ruling APC,Imo state scenario became more embarrassing to the global world,as the fourth position in the Governorship election, was declared the governor, therefore removing the former Governor,Emeka Ihedioha for Governor,Hope Uzodinma.
The case of Kogi state became worrisome since 2015,were a candidate who did not participate in all the processes,without voters card in Kogi,became the Governor and affirmed by all levels of the courts including the Supreme Court.
It was sad that the Tribunal judges in 2016,who were daily being harrassed by APC thugs hired from Kogi , Nassarawa and Benue gave judgement to Governor Yahaya Bello of APC after money change hand,even though with forensic,no voters card,thumb printed materials from Lagos,Edo and Benue states in the materials found by the forensic experts that stood for Capt Idris Wada of PDP.
This is the same forensic that removed forner Osun state governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and replaced with Rauf Aregbesola after two years in office by the Appeal court.
The Tribunal in 2016 on the day of judgement for Kogi was writting and changing judgement, including cancellation on the podium were judges were being chased away by APC thugs, that attracted even the condemnation of APC deputy Governorship candidate,Chief Rt Honourable James Abiodun Faleke.
It was so funny at the higher Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, it did not take judges at that level more than 10 minutes to pass dual judgement on a novel issue, that would have set a good judicial precedence in Nigeria.
So no arm of the Judiciary was insulated from the rot currently prevalent in Kogi,from the Tribunal,to the Court of Appeal,to the Apex court in 2015.
But this time around,the case is different as the Judiciary and alas the Supreme Court will need to extricate itself from the level of decadence and the magnitude of political hooliganism,manouvere in Kogi state in the 2019 election.
Even though,it was revealed that from Kogi state government circle,there is already the feelings that Governor Yahaya Bello had paid both in cash and kind from the Tribunal,Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court.
Is it that the Appeal Court Judges are not aware or averse of what both the National, international observers and media houses had reported on Kogi election, rather than the face saving statements of not proving beyond reasonable doubts, or mere hear say,as if they are not Nigerians owing to pretences and manipulation from the government circles?
In Kogi election, all the arms of security agencies in Nigeria were freely used in the state capital,thugs engaged the people of Kogi East and West, disallowed them from voting freely in some areas,figures were manipulated from the Central,revealed through forensic examination,yet some judges had feign comisseration.
It was reported before now,that Kogi state governor,Alhaji Yahaya Bello has never lost any case in court, including the high profile double registration of voters card and forgery, that led INEC into sacking some of it’s staff,but yet Bello came out unscathed.
Some attributed the win- win court cases to her mother’s wisdom,while glaringly it is not,but frequent gratification judges accept from Kogi Governor.
The end products of several litigation victory for Kogi Governor is underdevelopment of the state,lack of salary payment,rampant workers and unending screening,large borrowing both local and foreign,as well as lack of political will and direction to develop the state as well other quasi wrong decision of government.
But if truly and genuinely the Judiciary is the last hope of the common man as uttered by Governor Yahaya Bello,his days are numbered,as the Apex court should ressolve to assert itself,by taken a measure that will relive the confidence of the political class,as well as the polity in Kogi and Nigeria.
Kogi state has come a long way and seen alot of political upsurge,upturn and downturn in the last first four years of the present administration,as the worst is happening in the last few months.
The controversial decisions of the Tribunal and Court of Appeal is a testament of a highly compromised Judicial interpretation of Nigerian Judiciary,as caution should be observed over any untowards decision on Kogi ,that will enliven more doubt on the Supreme Court and it’s finalty.
The Apex court should assess the basis and the nitty gritty of the entire case, from the mass evidences monitored by both local,private and international media houses, and presented as evidences as part of technicality to address the political class notion, that election could be won through any means possible.
The time has come for Nigerians and not only kogites,that it needs and respect people’s will,rather than ballot stuffing,political thuggery, manipulation,hooiiganiam and indecent political culture already initiated by the handlers of Kogi state.
It must prove beyond reasonable doubts too,that their emotions,actions and inactions is beyond the imagination of being lured through financial inducements,connections and other unforseen circumstances.
The Supreme Court must display patriotic zeal, determination and commitement to return Nigeria back from it’s lost glory in all facets, dangerously encouraged by the current Judicial order.
It must avoid all forms lobbying either by proxy or any other means possible, that will further dent the image of their final arbiter status, and reverse the hand of the clock.
The boast in Kogi government circle that the panel to be constituted by the Apex court will operate under the whims and caprices of the federal government and susceptible to state wishes,should be detonated through an independent judgement, that will be to the expectations of the people and will stand the taste of time.
Kogi as a miscroscope of the entire nation,cannot afford to allow leadership laxity to override the common interests of ordinary Nigerians, yearing for good governance through political participation.
A stitche in time,will save more than nine,as the polity is drifting with the judiciary oiling the process without recourse to the developement of all facets of Nigeria.
Kogi,Nigeria will be great again as history will continue to repeat itself.
Usman Okai Austin is a social crusader,
Media blogger and Public Affairs analyst.
Written from Abuja
Recent development in the last two decades of our late return to democracy genuinely shows the willingness of the Judiciary to assert itself,in either way even though,it had enmeshed itself in alot of controversial judgements, that had thrown this country in a precarious situation,lack of confidence, capable of tearing this country apart without reservation.
In it’s good days,it had removed a sitting governor after two years at the mantle of leadership,a day to swearing in, and even an elected governor that came on board without due diligence.
Even though ,the same Judiciary at the Supreme Court level had passed a judgement in Edo,Ondo,Ekiti and lately Osun for an obvious laxity of election hooliganism by the ruling APC, that was war- like in recent times.
The earlier case of Edo,Ondo,Ekiti and Osun was a child’s play compared to rhe mother of all election rigging,killings and malpractices in Kogi state, that all the security agencies and apparatus of goverment was openly used to kill and maim kogites, all in the name of retaining the state for APC, by all means possible, to the embarrassement of both local and the international community.
The case of Edo in 2017 ,was played down, because the sitting governor needed a successor,even though the ruling APC did not win the election, but INEC top officials we’re used to stuff ballot papers and rigged for APC,under Adams Oshiomole .
When the case of Ekiti state election came up, because of the people oriented utterances of former Governor, Ayodele Fayose, APC deploy some it’s state governors to rig the election,while PDP governors were locked out using Federal might.
It was graduated in Osun into a police state ,as thugs and securtiy agencies were freely used ,but could not even get the winning margin,but manipulated to inconclusive election, were hapless voters were beaten to stupour to the costernation of the international community and observers,yet the ruling APC was declared winner.
Ondo had similar experience when some state governors that could not pay workers salaries arears for months,came up with vote buying strategy, intimidation, persecution, harrassement,open beating with imported thugs from the neighbouring APC states,to declare itself winner.
To crown the decadence and manipulative tendencies of the ruling APC,Imo state scenario became more embarrassing to the global world,as the fourth position in the Governorship election, was declared the governor, therefore removing the former governor,Emeka Ihedioha to Governor,Hope Uzodinma.
The case of Kogi state became worrisome since 2015,were a candidate who did not participate in all the processes,without voters card in Kogi,became the governor and affirmed by all levels of the courts.
It was sad that the tribunal judges in 2016,who were daily being harrassed by APC thugs hired from Kogi , Nassarawa and Benue gave judgement to Governor Yahaya Bello of APC after money change hand,even though with forensic,no voters card,thumb printed materials from Lagos,Edo and Benue states in the materials found by the forensic experts that stood for Capt Idris Wada of PDP.
This is the same forensic that removed forner Osun state governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and replaced with Rauf Aregbesola after two years in office by the appeal court.
The tribunal in 2016 on the day of judgement for Kogi was writting and changing judgement, including cancellation on the podium were judges were being chased away by APC thugs, that attracted even the condemnation of APC deputy Governorship candidate,Chief Rt Honourable James Abiodun Faleke.
It was so funny at the higher Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, when it did not take judges at that level more than 10 minutes to pass dual judgement on a novel issue that would have set a good judicial precedence in Nigeria.
So no arm of the Judiciary was insulated from the rot currently prevalent in Kogi,from the Tribunal,to the Court of Appeal,to the Apex court in 2015.
But this time around,the case is different as the Judiciary and alas the Supreme Court will need to extricate itself from the level of decadence and the magnitude of political hooliganism,manouvere in Kogi state in the 2019 election.
Even though,it was revealed that from Kogi state government circle,there is already the feelings that Governor Yahaya Bello had paid both in cash and kind from the Tribunal,Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court.
Is it that the Appeal judges are not aware or averse of what both the National, international observers and media houses had reported on Kogi election, rather than the face saving statements of not proving beyond reasonable doubts, or mere hear say,as if they are not Nigerians owing to pretences and manipulation from the government circles?
In Kogi election, all the arms of security agencies in Nigeria were freely used in the state capital,thugs engaged the people of Kogi East and West, disallowed them from voting freely in some areas,figures were manipulated from the Central,revealed through forensic examination,yet some judges had feign comisseration.
It was reported before now,that Kogi state governor,Alhaji Yahaya Bello has never lost any case in court, including the high profile double registration of voters card and forgery, that led INEC into sacking some of it’s staff,but yet Bello came out unscathed.
Some attributed the win- win court cases to her mother’s wisdom,while glaringly it is not,but frequent gratification judges accept from Kogi governor.
The end products of several litigation victory for Kogi governor is underdevelopment of the state,lack of salary payment,rampant workers and unending screening,large borrowing both local and foreign,as well as lack of political will and direction to develop the state as well other quasi wrong decision of government.
But if truly and genuinely the judiciary is the last hope of the common man as uttered by Governor Yahaya Bello,his days are numbered,as the apex court should ressolve to assert itself,by taken a measure that will relive the confidence of the political class,as well as the polity in Kogi and Nigeria.
Kogi state has come a long way and seen alot of political upsurge,upturn and downturn in the last first four years of the present administration,as the worst is happening in the last few months.
The controversial decisions of the tribunal and Court of Appeal is testament of a highly compromised judicial interpretation of Nigerian Judiciary,as caution should be observed over any untowards decision in Kogi ,that will enliven more doubt on the Supreme Court and it’s finalty.
The apex court should assess the basis and the nitty gritty of the entire case from the mass evidences monitored by both local,private and international media houses, and presented as evidences as part of technicality to address the political class notion, that election could be won through any means possible.
The time has come for Nigerians and not only kogites,that it needs and respect people’s will,rather than ballot stuffing,political thuggery, manipulation,hooiiganiam and indecent political culture already initiated by the handlers of Kogi state.
It must prove beyond reasonable doubts too,that their emotions,actions and inactions is beyond the imagination of being lured through financial inducements,connections and other unforseen circumstances.
The Supreme Court must display patriotic zeal, determination and commitement to return Nigeria back from it’s lost glory in all facets, dangerously encouraged by the current judicial order.
It must avoid all forms lobbying either by proxy or any other means possible, that will further dent the image of their final arbiter status, and reverse the hand of the clock.
The boast in Kogi government circle that the panel to be constituted by the apex court will operate under the whims and caprices of the federal government and susceptible to state wishes,should be detonated through an independent judgement, that will be to the expectations of the people and will stand the taste of time.
Kogi as a miscroscope of the entire nation,cannot afford to allow leadership laxity to override the common interests of ordinary Nigerians, yearing for good governance through political participation.
A stitche in time,will save nine,as the polity is drifting with the judiciary oiling the process without recourse to the developement of all facets of Nigeria.
Kogi,Nigeria will be great again as history will continue to repeat itself.
Usman Okai Austin is a social crusader,
Media blogger and Public Affairs analyst.
Written from Abuja