Coalition Asks NJC To Probe Controversial Appeal Court Decisions

A coalition of youth groups and non- governmental organisations in the South-South geopolitical zone of the country, has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC), to launch investigation into the decision of the Election Petition Tribunals and the Court of Appeal, as it affects Zamfara, Plateau and Kano states.

Some of the youth groups and NGOs include; the South-South Routine Movement (SSRM), the Delta Youth Movement for Good Governance (DYMGG) and the Bayelsa Routine Movement (BRM).

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt yesterday, the spokesman of the coalition, Podoki Austin, said the decision of the courts in the three states constitute an existential security threat to the country.

Austin said, “The judiciary must immensely look inwards to correct the impression that Nigerians have about them. The National Judicial Council must investigate all that occurred with the Tribunals and Court of Appeal in Zamfara and 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 nature 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.

“We humbly sound a note of warning to the three arms of government at the federal level, especially, the executive and judicial arms. As Senator Shehu Sani stated on his X (Twitter) page, there is a grenade about to go off and we say, the fingers of the judiciary and the presidency are on the pin.

“Please, handle with care. We say this because the decision of the courts in these three volatile states constitute an existential security threat to the country. With the existing theatres that military are bravely tied down at the moment, we do not feel it is wise to open other chapters.”