Headline
Election Tribunal: Kano Govt. decries attempt to bribe Judge
The Kano State Government has expressed concern over a bribery alert raised by the Chairman of the Kano State National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge.
Azinge had said that there was an attempt to bribe a member of the tribunal with money in order to sway justice in favour of a lawyer’s client.
She lamented in open court before the commencement of session on Tuesday in Kano, how senior lawyers particularly engaged in unethical practice.
A statement signed by the State Commissioner of Information, Malam Baba Halilu Dantiye, said: “The attention of the Kano State Government has been drawn to an allegation made by the chairman of Kano National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Hon. Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, that there was an attempt to bribe a member of the tribunal with money in order to sway Justice as according to her, “money has been flying in the Tribunal”.
Dantiye said the state government viewed the incident with a great concern as there is a strong rumour that some “strong forces who are well-known for their corrupt attitude are working tirelessly to scuttle the hard-earned mandate of the people of Kano State”.
He said the State Government viewed the incident as a litmus test for the present administration to show Nigerians its commitment to fighting corruption and defending democratic principles by ensuring that the case was thoroughly investigated and the culprits prosecuted.
“The anti-corruption agencies are equally expected to swing into action, especially when this type of allegation was made in open court by a respected Judge,” he said.
The commissioner said the government, however, viewed with delight the action of Justice Azinge as a positive testimony that “there is still hope in the Nigerian judiciary, and that Judges and Justices with high sense of integrity abound in our country.
“The state government also thanked the good people of Kano that voted the NNPP into power with well over one million votes at a time when they didn’t have federal, state, local government and financial resources.
“The government, therefore, notes and appreciates the readiness of Kano people to defend their mandate through whatever means possible,” Dantiye added.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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