Says PDP Legislators Are Lawless
A group known as the Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa on Tuesday said the continual disobedience to Court orders and rulings by the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislators should not be overlooked or wished away.
In a statement signed by coalition representative, John Mayaki, the coalition said the action of the lawmakers is both criminal and intolerable and should be treated as such.
“The judiciary have actually carried out their constitutional role by ensuring that all injustices are corrected, especially at the level of the Appeal Court. The judiciary has shown that the Courts are one and forbids injustice, no matter who is involved.” Mayaki said.
“I am confident, just like the people of Edo state that the statutory jurisdiction of the Court is to ensure justice, equity and or correct imbalances wherever there is injustice. With this judgment, the issue of ruling and counter-ruling, order and counter-order have come to a halt and this is the beauty of democracy. The judiciary is the lynch-pin of democracy and it’s judgments based on merit and issues raised by litigants and judgments are weighed using the scale of justice.”
It would be recalled that the Appeal Court had dismissed an application for a stay of execution brought before it by the four suspended PDP legislators. The Court had said the appeal by the lawmakers was done in “undue haste” and thus is viewed as “jumping the gun”.
The lawmakers sought a stay of execution on an order of a Benin High Court, which restrained them and the police from entering the Assembly and the legislative quarters. Justice H.M Ogunwumuji, held that the applicants were hasty in filing the appeal, instead of allowing the motion on notice to be heard by the lower court.
It held that it was a court that decides the nullity and validity of its decision and not the parties involved. The court said the appeal was premature. Taking a swipe at Festus Ebea, Patrick Osayimwen, Jude Ise-Idehen and Friday Ogieriakhi, Justice Ogunwunmiju ruled that a party, who was in contempt of a court order, cannot be allowed to seek or obtain any relief from the court while the contempt persists.
But, the Coalition described as legislative rascality and lawlessness, the action of the PDP legislators to continue sitting saying, “it is distasteful and disquieting acts of impunity of a political party called the PDP”.
“We have seen them holding kangaroo plenary sessions and making needless resolutions that are anti-people. The other day, they threatened that the Assembly account would be frozen and on Monday, they asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Attorney General of the Federal, the Accountant General of the Federation and the Director General of the Revenue Allocation, Mobilization and fiscal Commission to withhold revenue allocation to the 18 local government areas of the state,” he explained.
“In all of these, if they must be taken seriously, they present a picture of a political party that shows scant regard for the rule of law, human rights and freedom of speech and of the press. If the PDP expect peace in Edo state, which I doubt, it cannot be outside truth and justice.”
