National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has vowed that the central labour union will create a “Hall of Shame” for judges that undermine the tenets of the judiciary and come up with ridiculous judgements on the 2023 Presidential, Governorship, National and State Assembly election petitions before them.
Speaking in Abuja at a joint briefing with members of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under Labour and Civil Society Front, Ajaero stressed the need to rescue the judiciary before it destroys Nigerian democracy.
The movement, comprising several Civil Society and youth organisations, insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had seriously damaged the country’s democracy with its poor showing at the elections, vowing to vowing to name and shame corrupt leaders.
Co-conveners of the movement include Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, Comrade Shehu Sani, Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo, Professor Udenta Udenta, Salisu Mohammed and Olawale Okunniyi.
The NLC was represented by Ajaero while Trade Union Congress (TUC) had its General Secretary, Nuhu Toro, in attendance.
Ajaero regretted that the judiciary has set so many States and institutions “on fire with ridiculous judgements and must answer certain questions from Nigerians.”
According to him: “The judiciary has so many questions to answer, if they failed to answer those questions within a short time, we would create a hall of shame for those judges that come up with judgement for those judges that create such problems, that will happen soon. There is a need for the NBA, for all arms in the judiciary, to the bar benches, and all to speak out on what is happening in the judiciary and whether the judiciary is still the last hope of the common man.
“Now the destiny of the country is in our hands. It is either they fulfil it or they are betrayed once again, when they tell you to go to the court, they’re telling you that that is the end of the matter. Somebody will steal yam and say go to the court. On what basis are those statements being used? That’s the level of ridicule that the judiciary has brought and as Nigerians, we all need to come out to rescue the judiciary, or else there’ll be no need to continue going to court.”
Spokesperson of the CSO group, Nkoyo Toyo, told journalists at the end of their meeting held at the Labour House Abuja on Sunday INEC is attempting to destroy democracy by failing to uphold the provisions of the Electoral Act and even their own set rules.
Toyo stated: “This 2023 general election became an anti-climax, dashing the hopes of Nigerians for credible elections and denying citizens the emergence of qualitative political leadership across Nigeria.
“Clearly, INEC in cahoots with some members of our political class has driven a death nail into the democratic experience of most Nigerians, thus, leaving the electorate despondent to resort to self-help in their effort to salvage whatever is left of their vibrant political engagement with the 2023 elections.
“Unfortunately, the majority of Nigerians, especially the youths, who fought with patriotism to reset their country through the ballot box, are now wondering if elections have not become the tool for legitimising the corrupt takeover of Nigeria.”