From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
The Benue Coalition for Democracy (BCD) has vowed to resist any attempt to thwart justice in the court case instituted by former Minister of Justice, Chief Mike Kaase Aondoakaa, challenging the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benue state which produced Fr Hyacinth Alia as the party’s candidate.
BCD in the statement signed by its coordinator, Aloysius Gbakaan, made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Thursday said the sudden postponement of the Federal High Court’s judgment in the case is not only shocking to them but also suspicious.
They said as a pro-democracy organisation that seeks the cause of justice in all electoral matters across all political parties, “we view the postponement of the judgment as a calculated attempt by the APC to buy more time to mount pressure on the judiciary to circumvent justice in their favour.
“This move must be resisted by all lovers of democracy and justice to protect the integrity of the judiciary and our electoral system.
“We wonder why a court would schedule a date to deliver a judgment and then on the scheduled date come up with a claim that the judgment is not ready and could not even communicate a new date. That is impunity taken too far.”
The Benue Coalition for Democracy said it’s aware that some members of the APC in Benue state have been making concerted efforts to manipulate the court judgment, which might have resulted to the postponement.
“We however reaffirm our confidence in the judiciary as the last hope of the ordinary Nigerian, and we remain firmly optimistic that the judiciary will serve justice in the matter without the fear of intimidation or victimisation as this is the only way to strengthen our judicial and electoral systems.
“As the arbiter, we demand the judiciary to remain impartial and not compromise to pervert the course of justice. We expect a new date for judgment on the Benue governorship suit to be fixed quickly and the verdict passed.”
The group cautioned the “APC leaders in Benue state and those aiding them from the presidency to desist from putting pressure on the judiciary over the lawsuit in question and allow justice to prevail.
The group said “if they are confident that they conducted a free and fair governorship primary election, why the fear and movement from pillar to post?
They commended Chief Aondokaa for taking the noble path of seeking justice in the court of competent jurisdiction to deepen democracy in the country saying democracy thrives when citizens comply with the rule of law and the judiciary upholds its integrity.