The national president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joseph Ajaero yesterday vowed that the labour centre will create a "hall of shame" for those judges that undermine the tenets of judiciary and come up with ridiculous judgements on election petitions. This came barely ten days to the commencement of the Presidential Election Tribunal billed for May 10.
Comrade Ajaero, who spoke yesterday in Abuja at a joint briefing with members of the civil society group under Labour and Civil Society Front, said Nigerians must come out to rescue Nigeria's judiciary.
According to him the judiciary has set so many states and institutions on fire with ridiculous judgements and must answer certain questions from Nigerians.
He said, "The judiciary has so many questions to answer, if they failed to answer those questions within a short time, we would create a hall of shame for those judges that come up with judgement for those judges that create such problems, that will happen soon. There is a need for the NBA, for all arms in the judiciary, to the bar benches, and all to speak out on what is happening in the judiciary whether judiciary is still the last hope of the common man.
"Now the destiny of the country is in our hands. It is either they fulfil it or they are betrayed once again, when they tell you to go to the court, they're telling you that that is the end of the matter. Somebody will steal yam and say go to the court. On what basis are those statements being used? That's the level of ridicule that the judiciary has brought and as Nigerians, we all need to come out to rescue the judiciary, or else there'll be no need to continue going to court."
Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo who spoke on behalf of the convener knocked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the conduct of the 2023 general elections.
According to her, some Nigerians, who are architects of Nigeria's current democratic experience, being human rights leaders, political rights advocates, progressives, civil society and labour movement activists that fought the military for the restoration of democratic governance in Nigeria, have watched with utter astonishment, how the processes and procedures meant to consolidate our 24 years of democratic wins have been greatly eroded through the 2023 general elections.
She said, "Clearly, INEC in cahoots with some members of our political class have driven a death nail into the democratic experience of most Nigerians thus leaving the electorate despondent to resort to self-help in their effort to salvage whatever is left of their vibrant political engagement with the 2023 elections.
"Unfortunately, the majority of Nigerians, especially the youths who fought with patriotism to reset their country through the ballot box, are now wondering if elections have not become the tool for legitimizing the corrupt takeover of Nigeria. This dark cloud of angst arising from a terribly mismanaged 2023 general elections has jolted the confidence and hope of many Nigerians, thus propelling us as Citizens of Conscience to take the bold step of beginning to resist and mitigate the intended and unintended crisis looming over our dear country.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"Therefore, we condemn the outright manipulation of the electoral process and abdication of responsibility by INEC as it has not only destroyed trust in the democratic process, but has rewarded wrongdoing, making it possible for persons of stupendous wealth, who lack legitimacy, to become the real beneficiaries of our electoral process," she added.
