Nasarawa PDP Raises Alarm Over APC, Judiciary Gang-Up

Al-Makura-NasarawaThe Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Nasarawa State has alleged a conspiracy between the state judiciary and the Governor Tanko Almakura-led All progressive Congress, APC, to deprive the people of their right to justice.

State chairman of the party, Yunana Iliya, who spoke with journalists in his office along Jos Road, Lafia, said the judiciary, which is supposed to be the last hope of the common man, had become an instrument of oppression and coercion in the state.

He was reacting to the decision of the Local Governments and Wards Appeal Tribunal to upturn the decision of a lower tribunal, which gave victory to the APC candidates in Keana (Mustapha Eladoga) and Keffi (Mohammed Dikko) local government areas respectively where PDP was earlier declared winner.

“It is quite disheartening to note that Governor Tanko, who claimed to be a democrat, and claimed to be elected on popular mandate of the people turned out to be enemy of democracy”, Mr. Iliya said.

He claimed that the PDP was robbed of its victory through a coerced judgment induced by the APC-led administration in the state.

Mr. Iliya said the PDP had expressed fear over the composition of the local government election petition tribunal because it included card carrying members of the ruling APC in the state.

“The fear of the PDP over the composition of the appeal panel was confirmed on the 11th November, 2014 when Justice Aisha Ahmed rejected a court order from a competent court restraining her from delivering judgment”, he said.

“Aisha, an apostle of the law, disregarded the law and delivered a judgment. The rule of law is no longer a norm in judiciary set up in Nasarawa state”.

Mr. Iliya said that the PDP would ensure the end of “misrule” by February 2015 when the people of the state would vote out Governor Almakura and APC.