A caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the house of representatives says Mary Odili, Slyvester Ngwuta, Bode Rhodes-Vivour and three other senior justices of the supreme court must be appointed to hear the appeal of Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku, PDP presidential candidate in the last election, had filed an appeal at the apex court to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the election petition tribunal.

It is a tradition at the supreme court for senior justices, including the chief justice of Nigeria, to preside over presidential election appeals.

Odili, a senior justice, is the wife of Peter Odili, former Rivers state governor and founding member of the PDP.

Rhodes-Vivour, another senior justice, is the father of Gbadebo, who ran for Lagos west senatorial seat on the platform of the PDP in the last election.

Ngwuta, a senior justice, resumed duties at the supreme court in September after being prosecuted for alleged corruption by the Buhari administration.

In a statement signed by Kingsley Chinda, PDP leader in the house, the caucus said Nigeria has set the precedent of appointing the most senior justices to hear presidential election appeals since 1979.

“The hearing of the appeal on the decision of the Presidential Election Petition filed by Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and our great party, the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), begins a few weeks at the Supreme Court,” it said.

“The practice of selecting Justices to hear the appeal is expected to precede the hearing, going by age-long convention. What isn’t conventional is the present attempt to influence Chief Justice Ibrahim Tanko, going by reports in the media, to subvert the age-long and time-tested practice, precedent and convention of selecting the most senior Justices of the Supreme Court to hear the presidential election appeal.

“Chief Justices of Nigeria through time have never in the selection of the Supreme Court’s Election Petition Appeal Panel surrendered to the phoney dictates of the ruling parties.

“We are proud to state here that never in our great party’s time in power, did it or its personages, dictate selection of panel members to Chief Justices; NEVER.

“In 2008 when President Buhari, defeated by late President Umaru Yar’Adua, appealed the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, the then Chief Justice, Legbo Kutigi, empaneled Justices Katsina-Alu, Aloma Mukhtar, Dahiru Musdapha, Walter Onnoghen, George Oguntade and Niki Tobi to hear the appeal that year.

“He was never dictated to, nor was any attempt made by our great party to influence CJN Justice Legbo Kutigi, who stuck to a conventional practice that consistently secured the seal of approval of past Chief Justices: CJN Fatai Williams, 1979; CJN George Sowewimo, 1983; and CJN Muhammad Uwais, 2003.

“CJN Katsina-Alu also followed CJN Kutigi’s steps in 2011 and kept to the age-long conventional practice. If there is any arm of government that regards precedents and practices as almost sacrosanct, it is the judiciary. Nigerian Judiciary cannot reverse that internationally accepted practice of stare decisis just to please A.P.C government and serve the interest of a select individual or group.

“Selecting the Supreme Court Panel isn’t about witch-pricking-pricking Justices who suck blood out of justice isn’t about going outside the order of seniority to select Justices, witch-prickers, without independent jurisprudential thoughts and whose singular attribute for selection is that they demonstrate permanent dislike for justice and passion for doing the bidding of power.

“Surely, selection, Shorn off pressure and influence of the government and the present ruling party, is about demonstrating and holding firm to the constitutional powers of the Supreme Court to conduct its own affairs and not succumb to pervasive power and corrosive external influences.

“To sidestep precedents and convention is to provide legitimacy to the ruling party whose stock-in-trade is ridiculing the judiciary. Chief Justice Ibrahim Tanko must Sticks to precedents and conventions to preserve the integrity of the courts as the last hope of the common man and of citizens of our great country.

“We are however, gladdened that on Monday 14th October, 2019 through its Director, Press and Information, Dr. Festus Akande, the Supreme Court refuted this intent and reassured the Nigerian public that it is out to “Serve the interest of the generality of the Nigerian masses and not select individuals or groups”. We therefore, pray and hope that the Supreme Court does not allow itself to fall into this gobble trap.

“We wish to state that selection of Justices to hear the appeal of our great party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, must be in accordance with the conventional practice admitting only of the selection of the first seven most senior Justices of the Supreme Court: CJN Ibrahim Tanko, Justice Rhodes-Vivour, Justice Mary Odili, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Justice Musa Muhammad and Justice Kumai Akaahs. NO MORE.”


https://www.thecable.ng/pdp-reps-mary-odili-ngwuta-rhodes-vivour-must-be-appointed-to-hear-atikus-appeal

We wait and watch.....

CUPP said same thing some weeks ago......

Hmmm....CJN over to you.

A man may fulfill the object of his existence by asking a question he cannot answer, and attempting a task he cannot achieve.

Buhari not only wants APC judges to hear the case, he made sure Sharia Judge Tanko will preside.

wwwihy:
A man may fulfill the object of his existence by asking a question he cannot answer, and attempting a task he cannot achieve.

Why did you edit?

fergie001:
CUPP said same thing some weeks ago......

Hmmm....CJN over to you.

Which CJN, you mean the sharia judge?

PapaBaby:
Buhari not only wants APC judges to hear the case, he made sure Sharia Judge Tanko will preside.

It is customary the CJN must preside, then the most senior Justices ...it is expected that at that level, there is some kind of courage that comes with that experience.

PDP / Atiku should be allowed to chose judges they rather hear their case. Na so opposing political party de select presiding judges for the 16 years of doom by the God forsaken PDP.

Kwanza:

It is customary the CJN must preside, then the most senior Justices ...it is expected that at that level, there is some kind of courage that comes with that experience.

Something as convoluted as election rigging should not be presided over by a man whose only knowledge is that he's an authority on Islamic jurisprudence.

PapaBaby:
Buhari not only wants APC judges to hear the case, he made sure Sharia Judge Tanko will preside.

The Supreme Court act states that there must be a Judge versed in Sharia law and a Judge versed in Customary Law at every time.
I think three each.


Modified: That's the Federal CoA

Kwanza:

The Supreme Court act states that there must be a Judge versed in Sharia law and a Judge versed in Constitutional Law at every time.
I think two.

This case has nothing to do with Sharia law, I suggest Judge Tanko relocates to Kano, there are many cases awaiting his expertise. Nonsense

PapaBaby:


This case has nothing to do with Sharia law, I suggest Judge Tanko relocates to Kano, there are many cases awaiting his expertise. Nonsense

He was next in rank to Onnoghen....we have to make do with him until he leaves...

PapaBaby:


Which CJN, you mean the sharia judge?

Kwanza:

Why did you edit?

I hope you are not one of the PDP jobless miscreants?

At last Atiku will still come!

Mary Odilli should be excluded on the grounds that her husband is a high ranking PDP member.

They can add Wike's wife and also bring back Onoghen if they like but as long as they will follow the laws of the federal republic of Nigeria and use the rules of interpretation of the Nigerian judiciary, Atiku will loose because he has no case

Unfortunately, na Buhari dey in presidency. An illiterate nepotistic dul**rd who doesn't give a flying fu*k about competence or order of seniority in appointments.
Watch him armtwist his stooge of a CJN to toe same line.

PDP must be really mad. They forced a distant family member of Buhari to recuse herself from the case, citing family ties with the president, but now they want justices with strong direct family ties to former PDP governors to preside over the case. 419 party. PDP and their crooked ways. Both PDP and APC are both mad

R

Wetin Musa no go see for gate

Kwanza:
We wait and watch.....

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Must?

Why not recall Onoghen too?