Obasanjo rejects Appeal Court judgment on Kano, others, says few judges overturning decision of million voters unacceptable
By KEMI KASUMU
As more Nigerians protest the use of courts to overturn decisions made by millions of Nigerians at polling units in the March 18 governorship elections in Kano State and other states where opposition parties won, former President Olusegun Obadanjo has added his own voice with sound of caution to political leaders on the dangers that come with such political injustice.
Obasanjo, who faulted the verdict of the Court of Appeal on the electoral disputes in Kano, wondered why three to five men would sit down and overturn the decisions made by millions of voters during an election adjudged to be free, fair and transparent by reputable institutions and observers.
Obasanjo described the powers vested in the hands of a few judges as “totally unacceptable.”
The former President spoke in wake of the ongoing judgements of the Court of Appeal on the electoral disputes arising from 2023 elections in Nigeria.
Only last week, three governors of opposition parties were sacked in separate judgements delivered by the judges of the Court of Appeal.
The affected governors are Abba Kabir Yusuf in Kano, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, and Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State
Recall that the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Friday, upheld the judgment via zoom of the election tribunal which nullified the election of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, a decision described by Nigerians as gross injustice and threat to democracy in Kano State and Nigeria.
The former President, while emphasising the unacceptability of the powers vested in the few judges, cautioned political leaders on the dangers of injustice if the trend was not reversed by the Supreme Court.
Speaking at the high-level consultation on “Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy in Africa”, held at Green Resort Legacy, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday, Obasanjo faulted what he called “cathedral pronouncements” by the judges.
Chief Obasanjo said, “I believe whatever form of democracy we have or whatever system of government we have, three or four men in the judiciary should not be able to overturn the decisions of millions that have voted. Now, we have to find a way to handle that.
“I don’t know what the way will be but, for me, I think it’s totally unacceptable that millions (of votes), maybe 10 million on one side, maybe nine million on the other side. Then, you have five people sitting down, three of them agree, two disagree. And you come up and make cathedral pronouncements that cannot be changed, I believe that should not be accepted.
“How do we do it? I don’t know. But whatever form of democracy we have, we should look at how to handle this. If you say ‘go again for election,’ then, what happened to the previous election? I don’t know.
“So, I personally feel strongly about it. And it does not matter what you say about the judiciary, but in fact only five people or seven will sit down. If they are five, three may agree, two may not agree, and the decision of three will be final. All that you have done comes to the decision of three or decision of four,” Obasanjo warned.
In the same vein, Nigeria’s leading human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has also called on the Supreme Court to review the decision of the lower court on Kano State governorship election, noting that it is injustice to punish millions of Kano voters for an offense of the electoral umpire, the INEC.
Already, the courageous Governor Yusuf has decided to approach the highest court in the land to reclaim his victory after miscarriage of justice at the Election Tribunal and Court of Appeal, urging his enraged supporters and Kano masses to remain hopeful and peace-loving people in the face of the ongoing trial.
