The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed the certificate forgery case the All Progressives Congress, APC, and one of its members, Mr. Williams Edobor, filed against Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State.
In a unanimous decision, a five-man penal of justices of the apex court, held that the Appellants failed to prove their case against Obaseki.
The apex court said it found no reason to set-aside the concurrent judgements of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which earlier dismissed the allegation that Obaseki tendered false credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in aid of his qualification for the governorship election that held in Edo state on September 19, 2020.
Meanwhile, protesting members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, barred journalists from gaining entry into the Supreme Court premises, though they allowed a handful of lawyers and politicians to access the court room where the judgement was delivered.
JUSUN had on April 6, ordered its members across the federation to shut all courts in the country to press home their demand for implementation of financial autonomy for the judiciary.
A member of the union who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, justified their action against journalists.
He said: “If we allow you people to go in and report the case now, it will appear as if we are not serious”.
Meantime, the Supreme Court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, held that the appellants woefully failed to substantiate their forgery allegation against Obaseki.
It went ahead and awarded a cost of N1million in favour of governor Obaseki.
It will be recalled that the Court of Appeal had in a judgement it delivered on March 18, held that the case the APC and Edobor brought to vacate the January 9 verdict of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which authenticated Obaseki’s University of Ibadan degree certificate, lacked merit.
The appellate court panel which was led by Justice Stephen Adah, upheld the testimony of the Deputy Registrar, Legal, University of Ibadan, Abayomi Ajayi, who had ealier confirmed before the trial court, that Obaseki attended the University and fulfilled all the requirements for admission into the department of Classical Studies.
SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT:
JUDICIARY IS THE REFEREE OF NIGERIA’S DEMOCRACY — SHAIBU
The Deputy Governor of Edo State Comrade Philip Shaibu, has described the Nigeria Judiciary as the referee of Nigria’s Democracy through enforcement of the rule of law, to protect the minorities from the power of the majority, despite their attempts to tilt the playing field against the rules.
“The ruling of the Supreme Court today has shown that the Judiciary does not lack teeth. The rule of law is the strong pillar and rock on which Nigeria’s democracy stands. Every other foundation is made of sinking sand because the judiciary is no longer bound by artificial limitations,” he said.
Comrade Philip Shaibu who was reacting with enthusiasm over the Supreme Court judgement today, that reaffirmed the victory of Governor Godwin Obaseki in a landmark judgement, said the Supreme Court displayed decisional and institutional independence which underscores the ability of the judiciary to make decisions free from Political influence.
According to him, the Judiciary constitutes the most important vessel in the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria, even as he reminded politicians that the Supreme Court is not a systematic instrument for the acquisition of political power.
“The final judgement today has demonstrated to the World that the Nigerian Judiciary is not a pawn in the hands of desperate politicians to realized their ambition. The rule of law has prevailed and and this has demonstrated further that no one can sit above the law. Justice is the greatest interest of man and the ligament which binds civilized people together. Today’s judgement has reinforced this saying due to the celebration all over Edo State and other parts of the World.
“The extent to which the Nigeria Judiciary is free to perform it’s roles and efficiently too, will determine how developed and how deep rooted our Democracy will be,” the Edo Deputy Governor enthused.
