CUPP rejects plot to dump tradition in picking Supreme Court justices

As Nigerians await the composition of the names of the seven -man panel by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad to hear the appeal of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, the coalition of opposition parties says it is suspicious of the shady moves to handpick members to sit on the panel.

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) on Thursday raised the alarm over an alleged plot to alter or jettison the tradition of applying the principle of seniority in picking panel members among justices of the Supreme Court.

Addressing a world press conference in Abuja, Spokesperson of CUPP, Ikenga Ugochinyere said the group has it on good authority that the All Progressive Congress (APC) led federal government has been mounting pressure on the chief justice and indeed the apex court to accept a handpicked panel.

This CUPP argues, negates the age-long tradition of the court in selecting the most senior justices of the Supreme Court to sit on the panel.

It expressed worry that the disquiet and bad blood that this neglect may cause in the Supreme Court, is a clear desecration of the highest temple of justice in the land by the Buhari administration.

The opposition vowed that it will not accept a handpicked panel neither will the pronouncement of such panel command the requisite respect and confidence of Nigerians.

It said a handpicked panel will rob the Supreme Court the confidence, impartiality and trust of the citizens in determining the matter, adding that “we are back on this matter because we have received reinforced intelligence that the age long tradition of composition of a panel made of up of experienced justices based on their seniority is about to be breached.

“This complaint is a painful road we would have avoided for the image of the Supreme Court, but knowing the desperation of the people and their hate for decency and order, we cannot keep quiet knowing they regard the people with disdain.

“We hereby, alert the nation once again and in a loud voice that there is still ongoing plot engineered and being pushed by allies of the ruling APC who know that it will be difficult if not impossible in law for the president to escape a fair and neutral adjudication of the appeal without consequences and hence, the desperation to breach the age long tradition of most senior justices sitting in the appeal at the Supreme Court.

“Let us say it here, all the justices of the Supreme Court are eminently qualified, but the opposition rejects and will not support any move to tamper with the age long order of seniority which has been in practice since 1979 till date and used in selecting most senior justices of the Supreme Court who sits on election dispute panels.

“We say these knowing that we were all here when we screamed few days to the election about the military style forceful removal of the former chief justice of Nigeria and installation of another against express orders of court that restrained him and that it was for a day like this.

“The Buhari APC knew that it will rig the election and worked ahead to attempt to destabilize and intimidate our courts. The opposition wants these age long tradition of composing presidential election dispute panel in order of seniority maintained because we do not trust the altering of the seniority list under a Buhari led APC federal government.

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“From 1979 to the return to democracy in 1999, the journey has been about seniority of justices when composing presidential election appeal panel at the Supreme Court, from Kenya to Ghana to many parts of Europe it is about seniority,” said Ugochinyere.

The CUPP said it is necessary to raise the alarm because of the recent intimidation and emasculation of the judiciary, claiming that judges are petitioned against if they rule against government’s interest.

It further claimed that the method the APC government used in clamping down on the judiciary and the circumstance surrounding the installation of a new chief justice is the reason low confidence level in the judiciary.

The only way to change this, CUPP advised is to follow the age long tradition and instill confidence in all parties and ensure not only the delivery of judgment, but also the delivery of justice and for the people to accept and feel that justice has been done.