Ikpeazu scores Abia polls tribunals high

ABIA State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has expressed satisfaction over the performances of the election petition tribunals in the state, describing their activities as true reflection of justice to all the parties concerned.

Ikpeazu’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Godwin Adindu, in a statement noted that Abia people are happy with the judgments delivered so far by the tribunals, even though they are yet to complete their assignment.

According to him, “Election cases are not easy but the tribunals have taken pains to address all the matters before them one after the other. Abia people are happy with all the judgment so far. We believe that all the judgment are fair to all concerned and they have reflected the true taste of justice and the wheel of justice has been allowed to run its full course in election cases.”

The governor’s aide further condemned the attempts by some elements of the major opposition party in the state, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), to dent the mage and the integrity of the members of the tribunals by accusing them of collecting bribe from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said that such allegations and accusations were not palatable and at the same time don’t reflect the true identity of the Abia people “the Abia State government wants to disassociate herself from such comments.”

According to him, “We vehemently condemn the action of those making such comments in totality and we also want to advise them to refrain from insulting the intelligence of our judiciary.

We as a people respect the rule of law, the impartiality of the judiciary, we respect the judiciary as the last bastion of hope for the masses and therefore will not be happy when anybody or group of persons try to dent the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.
“We believe that members of the tribunals have done a good work in Abia State and they are going to complete their work successfully having taken the final written addresses of both parties and having adjourned sine die. We all also hope that they will come up with the date of the final judgment, which will be fair to both parties.”

He also condemned “the serial campaigns of calumny” that have been unleashed against the tribunals on the pages of newspapers by APGA members in the state, adding that just last weekend, there have been four full page advertorials alleging all manners of things against the tribunal members.
“In one of such advertorials the authors even campaigned for the jailing and execution of the members of the tribunal.

We say that the people who have been making such attempts to undermine the judges are not guided by good morals and wisdom and therefore we ask them to refrain from such act without delay.”