Nigerian Concord Newspaper
The Judiciary Watch, one of the leading pressure groups in Nigeria has accused two senators from Benue state of seeking the supports of a top member of the Nigerian Judicial Council (name withheld) to influence the September 10 judgement in the case instituted by the dissolved state chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Austin Agada against the National Working Committee of the party.
Recall that Agada had secured an Interim Order to restrain the NWC led by National chairman Umar Ganduje from dissolving the state executive council of the party in Benue last week but was unable to serve the same on the National Working Committee before the SWC was dissolved and a Unity Caretaker Committee inaugurated.
Then Chief Benjamin Omale-led Caretaker Committee was inaugurated by the Ganduje-led National Working Committee immediately after Agada and others were dissolved, an action which prompted the dissolved state chairman to approach the court for an extension of the lifespan of the restraining order.
Meanwhile, at the resumed hearing yesterday, the ruling judge through the argument by the legal team of the respondents was able to discover several flaws in the application filed by Agada and other dissolved state executive committee. He however set September 10 for ruling on the matter.
As a result of the uncertainties, two Benue senators, Dr. Titus Zam and Barrister Emmanuel Udende according to The Judiciary Watch in a press statement issued this morning have been working within the Nigerian judicial Council to manipulate the ruling which has been set for next week Tuesday.
In the press statement signed by the chairman of The Judiciary Watch, Barrister Jude Igbondo Esq, both senators were accused of planning to use the influence from their person at the NJC to manipulate the judgement because of the flaws which were discovered in Agada’s application.
“We have been following the matter between Comrade Agada and our state chapter of the APC and our investigation through multiple sources have confirmed that two Benue senators have been commissioned to induce the judiciary to get a manipulated judgement in favour of the sacked state chairman next week
“Authoritatively, we can confirm the senators as Titus Zam and Emmanuel Udende. They are working with some powerful Benue leaders to frustrate the rule of law. And efforts are being made here in Abuja to help them influence the stand of the ruling judge in Makurdi.
“Honourable Justice Theresa Igoche is a revered judge who has maintained a clean record since she started her career, and we believe that she will turn down the pressures on her. She had delivered several judgements in the past even when being pressurized and it’s our hope that she will do same in this matter” the statement reads in parts.