From Okwe Obi, Abuja

New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to sanction erring judges.

The call came on the heels of the Supreme Court’s verdict that upheld the electoral victory of governors of Lagos, Plateau, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom and Kano states, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Caleb Mutwang, Abba Kabir Yusuf and Umo Eno.

Its Acting National Chairman, Abba Kawu, in a statement, yesterday, said: “We want to use this occasion to call on NJC to look into the activities of some judicial officers whose activities raised serious questions which is inimical to the integrity of not just the judiciary but our national and international reputations.”

Kawu also told the Supreme Court to declare its 2023 Taraba State governorship candidate, Yahaya Bello, winner of the contest.

According to him, Bello defeated the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kefas Agbu.

He said: “Supreme Court should in the spirit of decency, decorum discipline and sanity declare Bello of NNPP as the winner of the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.

“It was audible to the deaf and visible to the blind that NNPP and its candidate, Bello won the governorship election in Tarraba State by scoring the highest lawful votes.

“The testimony was given by a respected professor, M. A. Yusuf, the collation and returning officer for the election in his protest and complain letter that serves as request for the review of the election results by  Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the announcement which was agreed upon by INEC legal adviser but most unfortunately, the commission went ahead and declared Agbu of PDP as the winner.

“Duress and tension were alleged by INEC collation and returning officer which made the review of the process impossible and necessitated the request of the review in Abuja and was accepted by all the parties involved.

“The decision of INEC to announce the result in Abuja without carrying out the review bring a lot of doubt, skepticism and questions which led to the decision of NNPP and its candidate to approach the court.

“Elections must represent the wishes and decisions of the people, it must be done in a decent, peaceful and transparent process that must be acceptable by all, not through the gun, duress and tension as alleged by INEC returning officer in the Taraba State.

“It would have done our democracy good and reaffirmed jstice, fairness and equity, if the tribunal and Appeal Court were thorough on the complain of dispute and variance in IREV and Accredited Voter on BVAS as well as highly doctored result sheets from Wukari area of Taraba State.

“It is worthy of note that electorate have the right to choose their leaders through a transparent electoral process without being under duress and tension as well as get their results doctored in favour of another interest group or party.

“Leadership of NNPP is appealing to the apex court to restore the hope of Nigerians in the electoral system and process by giving critical look into the complaints of the good people of Taraba State who lawfully and genuinely voted for Bello of NNPP as governor during the March 18, 2023 governorship election in the state.

“This will in large extent normalise our electoral system and process and sanitise it reasonably for future elections,” he said.