Nigeria: Plateau Poll - Nigerian Lawmaker Under Fire for Boasting APC Will Influence Supreme Court's Judgement

20 November 2023

In a video trending on the social media, Mr Gagdi was heard boasting at a rally in the state on Sunday about the APC's ability to sway victory for itself at the Supreme Court.

A member of the House of Representatives, Yusuf Gagdi, has come under attack after bragging that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, will influence the decision of the Supreme Court on the petition challenging the outcome of the governorship election in the state.

In a video trending on the social media, Mr Gagdi was heard boasting at a rally in the state on Sunday about the APC's ability to sway victory at the Supreme Court.

The Court of Appeal, on Sunday, sacked Governor Caleb Mutfwang, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared the APC candidate, Nentawe Goshwe, as the winner of the 18 March governorship election in the state.

The court had overturned the judgement of the state Governorship Election Tribunal last month which affirmed Mr Mutfwang's victory in the election.

Mr Mutfwang, who described the Court of Appeal judgement as a temporary setback, has since said he would appeal it at the Supreme Court.

The Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagun, has also called for the review of the conflicting judgement, alleging that it was biased.

Mr Gagdi, the lawmaker representing Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke federal constituency of Plateau State on the platform of the APC, said the outcome of the governorship election at the Supreme Court will be based on who both parties know.

"We have gone to the Appeal Court and the final destination is the Supreme Court and we will meet there. That is where we will know who they know and they will know who we know", he said in the 18-seconds video clip.

While the lawmaker spoke, some people could be heard in the background hailing him over the statement.

Mr Gagdi, a former deputy speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, is a two-time member of the House of Representatives.

He had aspired to be the speaker of the current 10th House of Representatives but withdrew alongside others two days to the election to support Abbas Tajudeen, who later emerged victorious.

Mr Gagdi headed the House ad hoc committee investigating job racketeering in government parastatals but which allegedly extorted money from the heads of federal ministries, departments and agencies.

The House has yet to keep its promise to investigate the allegation reported exclusively by PREMIUM TIMES.

Outrage

Some social media users, particularly X (formerly Twitter), on Monday sternly criticised Mr Gagdi for publicly boasting about the outcome of the election at the Supreme Court court in favour of the APC.

@wilde_sugar said "So Justice in Nigeria is about who you know and not what's the truth or right.

"Nigeria is a crime scene and it has yellow tape around it. Politicians are always polarising the system".

@SomaToken said, "But that is the game Court na, it's a game good lawyers and favourable judges ... Look at American judges who will sentence a black man for the same offence with his white country man.

"The black man will get the highest application within the Law, while his country man will get the lowest. So tell me you are not being sentimental"

@gaustinto1 said, "I'm not even surprised anymore. A senator once narrated how he got his wife to favor his own people na."

@ChucksBrunoOK said, "And a lady I respect a lot decided to marry this man, I was so shocked she could steep (sic) that low to even share bed with this man".

@Ozuruigbo01 said, "who you know and who they know, That's how to obtain justice in Nigeria this days."

@Uyanajahswill said, "The judiciary has been trapped and the court is no longer the last hope for the common man".

@luvcsquare2real said, "Obviously it have become bragging (sic) right to APC, they no longer hide it. Shame on Nigeria Judiciary".

@xamhry said, "So our judiciary is about who you know!"

Compromise

In June, Adamu Bulkachuwa, a former senator for Bauchi North, confessed that he influenced court judgements while his wife, Zainab, served as a judge and President of the Court of Appeal.

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