In what seems to be the largest show of unity in Abuja, a coalition of civil society groups has thrown its support behind the Nigerian judiciary, claiming it has lived up to Nigerians' aspirations.Speaking to reporters yesterday in Abuja during a solidarity rally in support of the judiciary, the Coalition—which includes the African Patriots, the Guardians of Democracy, the Northern Christian Civil Rights Movement, and other organizations with over 10,000 members—praised the judiciary in particular for its recent rulings in a number of election petitions on the Plateau.
The Coalition also issued a warning to the state's other political parties and the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) about what it called the Court of Appeal's "blackmail."
In his speech, Guardians of Democracy convener Mr. Adamu Kabir explained that the Coalition honored the Justices of the Appeal Court's steadfast commitment to defending the values of justice, equity, fairness, and democracy in the country and expressed its sincere gratitude and appreciation to them.
"We stand together today to celebrate the judiciary's victory over the nefarious attempts by political parties to manipulate and undermine the rule of law," the speaker stated.
"But we, the Guardians of Democracy, remain steadfast in our conviction that the legal system can preserve the rule of law and provide justice to every Nigerian."
He went on to say that his group has noticed an unsettling trend of attempts to weaken the court in recent months.
He stated that "these individuals have sought to influence the judiciary's decisions through intimidation, bribery, and even threats of violence." These attempts, he claimed, came from a variety of sources, including politicians, attorneys, and even members of the public.
Other coalition members stated that they firmly believed in the concepts of justice, equity, and fairness and that the judiciary had a responsibility to protect these ideals at all costs.
Additionally, in the sake of peace and quiet, Mr. Tobias Ogbe, the convener of the Northern Christian Civil Rights Movement, strongly advised the PDP in Plateau State to renounce their wicked endeavor.
It is imperative to acknowledge that the utilization of low-cost blackmail and propaganda is ineffective and unfavorable for the preservation of democracy in Nigeria. Paradoxically, this has been one of the powerful tools used by political parties and other actors to undermine the system when they do not like the outcome of elections, according to Ogbe.
He thus said that the Plateau case serves as a clear illustration of how politicians incite political unrest out of self-interest and ultimately ignite a fight of unfathomable dimensions. He further said that the enterprise must end and those involved must refrain from engaging in such despicable activities.