From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Youths from the South-South States have called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate all the conflicting tribunal and Court of Appeal cases in some states of the country.
The youths, who came under several groups, urged NJC to, as a matter of urgency, probe the tribunal and Appeal Court verdicts particularly in Zamfara, Plateau and the Kano States, describing the judgements as “scandalous”.
Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Sunday, spokesman of the youth coalition, Podoki Austin, said that the decision of the court in the three northern states “constitute an existential security threat to the country.”
Austin note: “The Rule of Law is also under strain. Unfortunately, it is clear to all that the judiciary has never had it this bad in the country. The various cases from the elections and the, sometimes, conflicting and contradictory judgements from the tribunals and now the Appellate Court has made the average Nigerian feel that the judiciary is no longer the last “hope for the common man.
“The feeling now is that the judiciary is a tool in the hands of the political class to help it achieve its aim against the people.
“The judiciary must immediately look inwards to correct the negative impression that Nigerians have about them. The NJC must investigate all that occurred with the tribunals and Court of Appeal in Zamfara, Plateau cases and especially with the Kano State Gubernatorial Appeal Court decision.
“Even to us as youths in the South-South, it is glaringly clear that the contradictory nation of the lead judgement in the Kano appeal case is scandalous and is an indicator to what the people of Nigeria see about the judiciary.
“A couple of paragraphs and sentences cannot be defined as clerical error. Nigerians may keep quiet, but we are not fools. Here we believe and see that there has been great and high level injustice; injustice in high places.”
The youths warned: “We humbly sound a note of warning to the three arms of government at the Federal level, especially the executive and judicial arms. We say this because the decisions of the courts in these three volatile states constitute an existential security threat to the country. With the existing theatres that the military are bravely tied down to at the moment, we do not feel it is wise to open other chapters.”
He called on government at all levels to begin to cut down on the cost of governance.
“Our country is neck deep in debt and we are still borrowing. Unfortunately, our government is busy buying four wheels drive, renovating and still enjoying VIP privileges, whilst it has told the people to tighten their belt.
“The size of government is too big and it must be printed down to an efficient size. Government must use fiscal means and discipline to reduce its costs. The Central Bank must use its monetary policy tools to gradually reduce inflation, interest rates and ultimately, unemployment.”