Some leaders of thoughts under the auspices of the Third Force Movement in Nigeria have threatened to petition the United Nations over the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the application for the review of the judgement sacking Emeka Ihedioha as the governor of Imo State.
The decision of the court, the Third Force Movement in Nigeria said, had “cast serious doubt over the integrity and sanctity of the Nigerian judiciary.”
In a statement issued by its spokesman, Dr. Olusegun Obe, the group said the latest ruling of the court ran contrary to the precedence set by the Supreme Court on the matter of review, “thereby violating the Spirit and Principle of Justice, which is the whole essence of the necessity for the Judiciary and so may heighten the political tension in Imo State and the south east at large.”
The group however said it was now set to internationalise the matter by immediately sending a formidable petition to the United Nations, United States, United Kingdom, African Union, European Union, among other world powers in pursuing the course and cause of justice on the judgement which it described as controversial.
It said the ruling was a “ruthless attempt to sweep fraud and injustice under the carpet.”
The statement reads further: “We are therefore resolved more than before to be steadfast and resolute as concerned Leaders’ of Conscience in Nigeria to pursue this cause of justice to its logical end over this worrisome precedence by the supreme court, which has since foisted a dark cloud over the survival of Nigerian democracy and the peace and stability of the South East.
“Accordingly, we plan to further engage and rally national leaders of conscience like, Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka; Prof Ben Nwabueze, SAN; Chief Emeka Anyaoku; Alhaji Balarabe Musa; Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu; Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Bishop Mathew Kukah; Dr Kalu Idika Kalu; Solomon Asemota, SAN; Prof Pat Utomi; Dr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN; Mr Femi Falana, SAN; Comrade Shehu Sani; Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN; Dr Obby Ezekwesili; Former Presidents and Heads of State; the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, and the international community, among others, to help monitor development concerning this historical matter.”
The group said it had previously averred that apart from the fact that the total valid votes, which the Supreme Court based its ruling on erroneously exceeded the Total Accredited Voters by INEC in the elections, Senator Hope Uzodinma might also not have fulfilled the constitutional requirements for a validly elected governor of having to score at least one-quarter of all the votes cast in each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the state.
Justifying its decision to petition the UN and others, the leaders also asserted that the judgment completely overthrew all known judicial precedence and electoral jurisprudence in Nigeria and that it would appear to be based on extra judicial considerations and therefore required a desired reversal by the Supreme Court to prevent the precipitation of a major uprising and anarchy in Imo capable of overwhelming security and stability in the entire South East.
