More headaches for NJC as PDP drags in Justice Abang

Still trying to come to terms with the recent raid on judges by the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Judicial Commission (NJC) now has more troubles to contend with.

The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sent a petition to the commission over the ruling of Justice Okon Abang, which it said is an “unholy alliance to subvert the will of the people”.

A Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Abang had on Friday ruled that Jimoh Ibrahim and not Eyitayo Jegede is the Ondo State PDP governorship candidate. He also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to accept Ibrahim, the Ali-Modu Sheriff faction candidate, as the party’s flag bearer for the November 26, governorship election in that State.

Read also: Abang at it again, orders INEC to accept Ibrahim as Ondo PDP gov candidate

But the state chairman of the party, Clement Faboyede, during a parley with newsmen in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said the party has submitted a petition against Justice Abang, and awaits the outcome of investigations into the matter.

The party had also disowned Ibrahim, saying he is not a recognized member of the party in the state.

While affirming that Jegede remains the party’s candidate, Faboyede also said the party had taken “steps to affirm the validity of his candidature and expose the flaws in the decisions of the court targeted at subverting the will of the Peoples’ Democratic Party and the generality of the people of Ondo State”.

According to him, “The attempt to re-write the judgment by changing the date of 2019 general elections as contained in the earlier judgment of 29th  June, 2016 and linking it with the governorship election of 2016, which was never the subject of the earlier suit would certainly be a subject of investigation by the appropriate statutory authorities”.

Justice Abang had lately become notorious in the face off between the warring factions of PDP, each led by Ahmed Markafi and Ali-Modu Sheriff, granting orders and counter orders on who should superintendent over the beleaguered party.

Recall that there had been strong insinuations that Justice Mohammed Liman of the Federal High Court, Port-Harcourt, may have ran into trouble with the DSS, for allegedly taking bribes from Wike to give favourable judgment to the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of PDP in revision to Abang’s ruling.

 

 

 

Ripples Nigeria…without borders, without fears

 

 

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now