Saharareporters has obtained a copy of a Supreme Court judgement in the election petition litigation between Senator Alphonsus Igbeke and Senator Margery Okadigbo.
Saharareporters has obtained a copy of a Supreme Court judgement in the election petition litigation between Senator Alphonsus Igbeke and Senator Margery Okadigbo.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
The case in question, argued before Nigeria’s Supreme Court and topic of much discussion and legal debate, was expected to be decided today, May 31st, 2013. But days before the long-anticipated decision was to be announced in Abuja a source sent Saharareporters a copy of the ruling in advance claiming that justices of the Supreme Court had sold the judgement to the highest bidder.
The conflict, which arose after the Court of Appeals decided in 2011 that Senator Okadigbo was the rightful Peoples Democratic Party representative for the Anambra North Senatorial District, has dragged on for several years,
Senator Igbeke appealed against the ruling of the Court of Appeals, believing wholeheartedly that it was he who was the rightful candidate, and that he was the deserving recipient of the senatorial seat. A high court had earlier ruled in support of Igbeke, but the court of appeal ruled otherwise.
Today judgement will be relying heavily on a previous ruling of the court which dismissed similar application from two other candidates challenging Mrs. Oksdigbo's candidature. The panel of Supreme kurt justice are going to say that they cannot go back after a ruling on the same matter by the Court.
However today’s leak of such sensitive information can only contribute to the high-stakes suspicion that the Supreme Court as a three-ring circus, has engaged in acts of corruption of selling the ruling to the highest bidder, this will further taint and tarnish the image of the justice system at its highest level Nigeria.
The lead ruling which is expected to favour Senator Okadigbo will be read by Justice Suleiman Galadima of the Supreme Court.
The 29-page ruling refuses to touch Senator Igbeke’s substantive pleading, instead it will uphold an objection in support of Senator Okadigbo
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });