HURIWA Raises Concern Over Judicial Integrity In Plateau

HURIWA Raises Concern Over Judicial Integrity In Plateau

HURIWA underscored the importance of restoring public confidence by adhering to the principles of fairness, justice, and impartiality within the judiciary.

Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has raised concerns over the integrity of the judiciary in Plateau State.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Sunday, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, stated that recent events in Plateau have cast ‘a shadow of doubt’ and suspicion over the integrity of the state’s judiciary.

He raised questions about the impartiality of the judiciary and its role in ensuring fair and just elections in Nigeria.

Onwubiko expressed deep concern over what he alleged to be a coordinated effort to issue contradictory judgments, particularly favouring the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the expense of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

“These concerns go beyond post-election matters and extend to pre-election cases, which, according to established legal precedent, should not be revisited at the appellate level” he stated.

Specifically, in the case of Plateau North Senatorial District won by Sen. Simon Mwadkwon of the PDP and the APC candidate coming in third, the Panel, in its judgment in Court of Appeal No.

CA/J/EP/PL/SEN/12/2023 delivered on Sunday, October, 2023, curiously annulled the PDP’s victory and ordered INEC to conduct a rerun election among all the parties.

In conclusion, HURIWA reaffirmed its commitment to the rule of law, democracy, and justice.

The organization pledged to monitor developments in Plateau State and across the nation to ensure that the rights of the people are upheld. HURIWA called on all stakeholders, including the judiciary, political parties, and the public, to work together to protect and uphold the values that define Nigeria as a nation.