The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), which is in power in Kano State, yesterday exchanged barbs over an alleged effort to bribe a tribunal member by an anonymous senior lawyer for their client.
The Kano State Government earlier expressed shock over the claim made by Hon. Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, Chairman of the Kano National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, that an attempt was made to bribe a tribunal member with money in order to influence Justice to rule in favour of his client.The state administration viewed the claim with great concern, the Commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye, stated in a news release.
There is a widespread allegation that certain powerful forces within the APC, who have their sights set on the Kano Election Petition Tribunals, are determined to replicate what they did in 2019. “It is an open knowledge that these strong forces who are well-known for their crooked attitude are working furiously to undermine the hard-earned mandate of the people of Kano state.” They are all out to use any means necessary to pervert justice, as they have in the past.
Additionally, he urged the anti-corruption institutions to act quickly and launch a thorough inquiry into the situation, particularly in light of the fact that a reputable judge had made this specific charge in open court.In its response, the APC cautioned the NNPP government from tarnishing Azinge’s reputation due to its ostensibly poor defending performance at the tribunal.
According to a declaration from Muhammad Garba, a former commissioner in the most recent administration, the Kano State government made a concerted effort to discredit the tribunal chairman out of concern for what would ultimately be the ruling.
He claimed the accusations were manufactured to fabricate a tale and use a quote from her that was taken out of context, which amounted to disdain for the judge and the legal system in general.Garba claims that although Hon. Justice Azinge did not specifically mention any party when she revealed the alleged effort to bribe a tribunal member by a senior lawyer, the NNPP government alluded to the APC as the bribe giver in order to disparage the APC.
He added that the Kano State Government intended to discredit the judge in order to prevent the tribunal from perhaps revealing who the real bribe provider was.
Sagir Gezawa, the chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), stated that the NBA has already sent a letter to the secretary of the EPT outing any solicitors who are seeking to bribe judges.
He asserted that the only way he could communicate with the judge or her Lordship directly was through the EPT Secretary, who would alert the latter to the charges of bribery.
