Nigeria election tribunals: Voters must hold judiciary to account - IPAC Chair

In the wake of the court orders given by election tribunals, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yabagi Sani, has stated that Nigerians must hold the judicial system to account in the discharge of its responsibilities.

Sani, during a live appearance on Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, said that the judiciary, which has jurisdiction over disputes in the Federal Government, and states needs to stand up and show that it fully supports democracy.

“The judiciary has to sit up to be counted as those who really have this country at heart, as those who want it to work. The judiciary must stand up — that yes, they are really for democracy. What I am seeing today is that democracy is not supporting democracy at all.

“With the kind of judgements, decisions, and orders they are giving, it doesn’t reflect people that have an interest in the survival of democracy and for a good reason, for the judiciary, whether it’s the military or the government, they don’t lose,” he said.

“Nigerians must stand up, not to attack or burn down anybody’s property or kill anybody, but to hold these people to account.”

The IPAC chair faulted the Electoral Act 2022 stating that the act has to be free from interference, adding that the nation would be put in confusion and an ambiguous direction if a straightforward law is not given to the electoral umpire.

“Everything has to be referred to the law… Like the Electoral Act we have today, why should you say ‘It’s up to INEC to do what they want’ and then later you say, ‘Well, if they change, it’s okay?'” he queried.