By Daniel Maduka
The recent Supreme Court rulings on some States’ Gubernatorial legal contests which saw the All Progressive Congress APC lose almost all of its appeals, have dispelled the opinions held before now in some quarters that President Bola Tinubu and the top hierarchy of the Party have been influencing the Judiciary.
In the same vein, it has eloquently testified to the commendable democratic credentials of the President and the National Chairman of the Party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje as political actors whose conducts are consistently guided by the rule of law.
These were the views of an Abia State APC Chieftain and prominent opinion leader of the Ukwa Nation, Chief Sylvanus Uzoma Nwaji, in an interview with The Source on Monday January 29 2024, in Aba.
The four-time Chairman of the Oil rich Ukwa West Local Council of Abia State, noted that President Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, used the gubernatorial outcomes in such States as Kano and Plateau to demonstrate to Nigerians and the world generally that they are patriotic leaders out to promote the growth of democracy.
“The National Chairman deserves to be applauded, for not going to extreme points as some in his position would have done just to ensure that they retain control of their base.
“President Tinubu, also, exhibited a rare and great political restraint, not to be carried away by political expediency, the way some would have in a bid to capture the all important Kano state.
“We are all aware of the importance of Kano to the peace and security of this Country,. And anybody and/ or group that sacrificed personal interests for peace to reign in such an important State as Kano deserves some respect.” Nwaji stated
Chief Nwaji further stressed that the Supreme court rulings on the Gubernatorial disputes ,have shown that contrary to the views in the opposition camps ,the Judiciary was not in any way manipulated, cajoled and/or influenced in its handling of the Presidential election petitions.
“With these Supreme Court judgments on the Governorship contests wherein the ruling APC lost all its appeals, including some key States, it should be clear that the Judiciary has never been under the influence of anybody..
“President Tinubu’s opponents should accept defeat and move on because we are currently seeing the true nature of independent judiciary.
“Whatever good changes we are seeing now is a process. And it has started with an independent judiciary which we should all celebrate.” Nwaji noted
