A civil Society Organisation, under the umbrella Guardians of Democracy, has raised the alarm over alleged plots by opposition political parties to arm-twist the judiciary into delivering judgements that favour them.
The group, while staging a peaceful rally on Thursday in Abuja, lauded justices of the Appeal Court, for upholding justice, equity, fairness and democracy in Nigeria.
Adams Kabir Matazu, Convener of the group while addressing newsmen during the rally, stated that the group celebrates the triumph of the judiciary over what they termed nefarious attempts by political parties to manipulate and undermine the rule of law.
He stressed that it is important to safeguard the principles of democracy and support an independent judiciary.
Drawing attention to the recent events in Plateau State, Matazu stated that some individuals were sponsored by politicians to march on the streets to protest against the judiciary, characterising it as a shocking display of disrespect for the rule of law and emphasised the need to confront such trends.
He said, “We, the Guardians of Democracy, must come together to condemn such behavior and stand united against any attempts to undermine the judiciary.
“The essence of this assurance rally is to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the justices of the Appeal Court who have valiantly stood up against the shenanigans perpetuated by agents of political parties.
These agents have shamelessly tried to arm-twist the judiciary into delivering judgments that conflict with the very foundations of our society. We firmly believe in the principles of equity, fairness, and justice, and it is the duty of the judiciary to uphold these principles without compromise,” Matazu asserted.
Matazu accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), of attempting to destabilise the democratic system.
He criticised what he described as the PDP’s hypocrisy, alleging that the party, despite vocalising support for the judiciary, had been involved in actions contrary to those principles.
He said, “The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has been fingered as a culprit and sponsor of this evil agenda. It is pitiable, and regrettably painful, knowing that a party that was once reputable would stoop so low to carry out such vices without reflecting on the impact of such actions on our political landscape.
“It Is worth noting that the PDP, the party that has been most vocal on the issue of criticism of the judiciary, is the same party that has sponsored criticism against the judiciary in the past.
“The PDP’s hypocrisy is clear for all to see. They claim to support the judiciary, but their actions speak louder than their voice.
“However, at this moment, we extend a hand of solidarity and support to the affected judges, and we wish they understand that the stupidity carried out on political parties in order to destabilise our entire democratic system shouldn’t be misunderstood as a trending characteristic in every other party.” The statement reads.
The civil organisation called on all Nigerians to unite in defence of the judiciary, stating the importance of preventing its politicisation.
