Presidency: Don't Disappoint Nigerians, Women Group Tells Presidential Tribunal, Supreme Court, Others
- Umuada Igbonine Worldwide, an international women's group, has called on the Nigeria judiciary to desist from being partisan in the hearing of the election petition tribunal
- The group in a statement after its quarterly meeting, condemned the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, alleging that the results were against the will of many Nigerians
- While alleging that the INEC dashed the hope of many Nigerians, the group called on the judiciary to be fair to the Nigerian masses
Awka, Anambra - As the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal is set to resume proper sitting on petitions brought before it by the Action Alliance (AA), Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi; as well as the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, women group, Umuada Igbonine Worldwide, has asked the tribunal not to disappoint the Nigerian masses, who look up to it for a fair judgement.
A statement by the group after its quarterly meeting in Ogidi, Idemili North local government area of Anambra state, said that the aspirations of millions of Nigerian voters were dashed by the country's electoral umpire - the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), thus, the need for the tribunal to live up to the expectation of the people.
Source: Twitter
Legit ng's regional reporter in Anambra, Mokwugwo Solomon, noted that the meeting, held on Sunday, April 2, attracted many women leaders representing different groups and interests and uniting under the umbrella of Umuada Igbonine Worldwide.
Why women's group pressuring the judiciary over the 2023 election result
The statement reads:
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"Umuada Igbonine Worldwide, having brainstormed on the 2023 Nigeria's presidential election, as well as roles played by different groups and organizations in prosecuting the election, wishes to express its dissatisfaction with the process, and the outcome.
"Umuada Igbo, as co-stakeholders in deciding what happens in Igbo land, and Nigeria in general, wish to express our disappointment over the conduct of the presidential election, and the overall outcome of the polls; which, if not well managed by necessary stakeholders like the judiciary - the presidential petitions tribunal, and the Supreme Court, might affect the overall co-existence of the country.
"Umuada Igbonine, without mincing words, condemn the roles played by the leadership of INEC and majority of the commission's adhoc officials, who were accused of compromising the standard, and the overall outcome of the election. INEC was accused of going against the constitution of Nigeria, and the electoral guidelines in the conduct of the presidential election, yet, the electoral umpire boldly told those that felt aggrieved to go to court; as if they would also decide the outcome of the court process.
"Umuada Igbonine, therefore, call on the judges of the tribunal, and ultimately, those of the Apex Court to hold its shoulders high by studying the petitions critically, and delivering judgement based on the merits of each petition. We also call on prominent Nigerians, who wish the country well, as well as the international community to have their eyes on the individual judges of both the tribunal and the Supreme Court; adding that the aftermath of the 2023 general election would, to a large extent, be a deciding factor to Nigeria's unity."
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The group also called on INEC to come up with punitive modalities for staff and ad-hoc officials of the commission who compromise in any form in the discharge of their election duties, adding that many who were accused of compromising the standard were rarely punished.
It also begged the national assembly to come up with legislation making it compulsory that heads of major commissions and critical government establishments like INEC would be elected or selected through a strict process instead of being appointed by the presidency to serve the aspiration of the people at the corridor of power.
The group also lent its voice to the call by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) which suggested a live broadcast of the proceedings of the 2023 Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, adding that the live broadcast would be in the interest of openness, justice, transparency and trust in the judiciary and that access to the proceedings would meet the aspirations of the public to participate in the process.
Source: Legit.ng
