On Thursday, around five hundred attorneys occupied the Court of Appeal in Abuja, protesting what they saw as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) unjustified assault on the independence of the Nigerian legal system.
The lawyers voiced their collective dismay over what they called a “campaign of calumny” against the justices of the Court of Appeal, coordinated by Sylvanus Okpe, Convener of the Lawyers of Conscience group.
Okpe, referencing a flurry of sponsored comments aimed at the recent ruling of the Court of Appeal in Plateau State, declared that the PDP’s conduct amounted to an attack on the court itself.
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Speaking to the media, Okpe reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to preserving democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria and urged the justices to take into account how the PDP’s actions would affect the integrity and reputation of the court.
“The PDP’s diatribe smacks of mockery and an attempt to ridicule the judiciary, but it is succinct to state that the Justices of the Court of Appeal delivered a sound judgement in line with the provisions of the law,” Okpe said.
He went on to say that the PDP had purportedly disregarded an ongoing court injunction in a particular lawsuit. Drawing comparisons with the Supreme Court’s 2019 annulment of the APC candidates’ elections in Zamfara State, Okpe pointed out the possible ramifications under the Electoral Act, arguing that such a violation could make the PDP candidates’ elections to the National Assembly void due to a lack of parties.
Okpe charged that the PDP was initiating a campaign of defamation against the Court of Appeal’s decisions and sacrificing facts in an effort to forward its own agenda. He claimed that undermining the Nigerian judiciary’s objectivity seemed to be the party’s ultimate objective.
“The appellate court’s integrity and reputation are in jeopardy. To guarantee that justice is done, the judiciary must resist blackmail because the PDP’s issues are without substance and merit. He stated.
The attorneys urged the judges to reject the PDP’s argument on the ruling that dismissed party members from the National Assembly for allegedly lacking party structure and urged them to be steadfast in defending the integrity of the appeal court. They underlined how crucial an independent, powerful, well-respected court is to the fair and impartial administration of justice in a democratic state.
“We need to educate ourselves on the consequences of disobeying court orders. A violation of the court’s authority and dignity is called contempt of court. Until a court order is overturned on appeal, it must be followed. There is no proof that the current court ruling governing the PDP’s fresh ward congress in Plateau State was challenged.
In reference to the Court of Appeal’s ruling dismissing PDP members of the National Assembly for lacking a party structure, which made their eligibility to run for office invalid, he said, “His Lordship may wish to grant our prayers that the Court of Appeal rejects the position of the PDP in Plateau State.”
