Fellow nairalanders, our hard fought democracy is under a very serious threat and who knows what may happen(God forbid) if something is not urgently done to avert it. A recent judgment delivered by Justice Abdullahi Tijani at the Appeal Tribunal sitting in Calabar in a case involving a sitting Member of the House of Representatives Hon. Bassey Etim and one Mr Emmanuel Obot smacks of high level of corruption in our judicial system. I gathered reliably that this case is a pre-election matter, being an issue of substitution. Mr Emmanuel Obot had gone to Court to challenge his substitution after his name was substituted with that of Hon. Bassey Etim by the PDP. That relief was refused at the first instance.  Obot challenged the same substitution among other reliefs at the same Federal High Court and also heard by the same justice Abimbola Ogie.(Abuse of Court process). Twenty days after elections were concluded and Hon. Bassey declared winner, the substitution of his name was this second time, declared null and void by justice Abimbola Ogie. Hon. Etim immediately appealed against this judgment at the Appeal Court Abuja Division. Armed with this judgment of the Federal High Court, Mr obot approached the Election Petition Tribunal claiming to have been the winner of an election he did not participate. The Election Tribunal at the first instance dismiss Obots application saying that he lacked the locus standi to approached the Tribunal having not participated in the election. Obot Appealed this judgment at the Appeal court sitting in Calabar and presided over by Justice Omokri. Omokri JCA after hearing the case delivered judgment againt Hon bassey and directed another lower tribunal to  hear the case again. To cut the story short, the lower tribunal which was subsequently set up was left with no other option than to carry out the Orders of the Appeal Tribunal, and this time aroung Hon. Bassey Etims election was nullified. Etim also appealed this judgment, but interestingly, when it was time for hearing, Justice Omokri insisted to again sit on the case, a situation which was seriously resisted by Hon Etim who said that he would not have justice if Omokri again sits on the case as he(OMOKRI) will not give any judgment that will contradict his earlier judgment. What became very curious to me was why Justice Omokri insisted to preside over this case even after Etim had petition the President of the Court of Appeal. After much wranglings, a new panel was set up and the case heard for only one day, and they adjourned for judgment. Hon. Etim, not being satisfied with the manner the new justices handled the case, approached the Supreme Court to request for a stay of proceedings, pending when his Appeal at the court of Appeal sitting in Abuja will deliver its judgment as the case is a pre-election matter. A notice of Appeal pending at the Supreme court was duely served the parties as well as a hearing notice from the Supreme Court. Nairalanders, THE APPEAL TRIBUNAL SITTING IN CALABAR BLATANTLY DISREGARD THE HEARING NOTICE FROM THE SUPREME COURT AND WENT AHEAD TO DELIVER JUDGMENT, IN TOTAL DEFIANCE TO  ORDER 8 , RULE 11 & 12 OF THE SUPREME COURT RULE. I dont know what made thE military to take over power in the past, but if you ask me the above mentioned case is enough reason for the military to take over power IF SOMETHING IS NOT IMMEDIATELY DONE TO STOP THIS.  I weep for our democracy. Please your comment is highly needed here.

What democracy?

Udobass:

Fellow nairalanders, our hard fought democracy is under a very serious threat and who knows what may happen(God forbid) if something is not done to avert it.

Hard fought? When? When did we fight for it? What year?

Sigh!!!