RIPPLES NIGERIA
The Supreme Court on Saturday slammed Nigerians venting venomous comments on the judiciary following its recent judgements which affirmed former Governor of the Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, and Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as APC senatorial candidates in February 25 elections.
The recent affirmation of Akpabio and Lawan by the apex court had generated varied concerns from Nigerians, with some branding the judiciary as irresponsible and corrupt.
A Nigeria-born Professor based in America, Farooq Kperogi, had particularly written a combative article to condemn the judiciary over the pronouncements.
However, in a statement titled “Be mindful of unwarranted attacks on judicial officers” and issued by the Director of Press And Information in Supreme Court, Festus Akande, the Apex Court warned Nigerians against attacks on the judiciary especially the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
Akande noted that over 600 cases had so far gone to court from just party primaries which were conducted by political parties without any interference from any external bodies.
He said the indecently unhealthy conduct of the political parties in the country resulted in the judiciary having to deal with more cases than necessary.
The statement read: “We have watched with utter dismay some unfortunate events that have been unfolding in the country, particularly within the political landscape, for some days now.
“It is so disheartening to learn that some individuals and groups of persons who ought to know better and even assume the revered positions of role models to a larger proportion of the citizens are now sadly, the very ones flagrantly displaying ignorance and infantilism in the course of defending the indefensible.
“In an ineptly scripted toxic article, one Farooq Adamu Kperogi, who described himself as a Nigerian-American Professor, decided to plunge into an abysmal pit of irredeemable ignorance by venting convoluted anger on Supreme Court Justices with a view to pleasing his paymasters.
“We have made it abundantly clear on different occasions that Judicial Officers are neither political office holders nor politicians that should be dressed in such robes. Our silence must not be mistaken for weakness or cowardice.
“Certainly, every Nigerian citizen has an inalienable right to express his or her opinion without any encumbrance; but even in the course of expressing such fundamental right, we should be circumspect enough to observe the caution gate of self-control in order not to infringe on another person’s right.
“Even in a state of emotional disequilibrium, we should be reasonable enough to make a good choice of decent words, as every word employed by the pen-happy Kperogi only succeeded in portraying the kind of vacuum that sign-posts all that he has as academic accomplishment.
