By Abdulmumin Murtala
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has petitioned the Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC) over uncomplimentary comments credited to Justice Benson Anya against the party and its members while delivering judgement on Kano governorship election petition.
Justice Anya allegedly said, “Instead of some Kano politicians being allowed to use banditry and violence to abort democracy in Kano State, justice will be used to stop them from destroying democracy in Kano and upward.”
NNPP lost at the governorship election petition tribunal in the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking with journalists in Kano, the state chairman of the party, Hashimu Dungurawa, said it was a clear fact that the party was denied justice based on emotion and sentiments rather than justice and fairness.
According to him, the party has petitioned the NJC against the judge’s remarks.
“We shall see whether he is right to use personal sentiments and quash our victory and also seek justice on this,” he said.
“A judge cannot just sit down because of unfounded death threats to be impartial in our judgement, this clearly showed to us that you are not being fair and just in this election verdict,” he added.
“We are not taking this lightly the comments credited to Justice Anya that, ‘the gang of Red Cap wearers who are like a violent and terrorist cult,’ chased us out of Kano and put us in the fear of our lives.”
The NNPP chairman also frowned at the judge’s remark that said, “‘Instead of some Kano politicians to be allowed to use banditry and violence to abort democracy in Kano State, justice will be used to stop them from destroying democracy in Kano and upward, we do not want anarchy and terrorism as being promoted in Kano State and as threatened by them’.”
The NNPP chairman vehemently objected to such language, which he said was unbecoming of a judge and defender of justice and the rule of law.
“Of course, these libelous, and outrightly condemnable comments credited to the panel and especially those portions where Justice Benson Anya went beyond his judicial bounds of immunity and acted as if he is an interested party in the matter by casting aspersions on the leadership and members of NNPP,” he stated.
