Pre-election cases are usually treated expeditiously. But that is not the case with the one held in Enugu State in 2011 between ex-governor, Sullivan Chime and Chief Alex Obiechina.
As a result, a human rights group, Promoters of Democratic Foundations (PODF) has expressed concern about the Enugu governorship pre-election primary case, five years after it commenced in court.
National President of the group, Michael Udoma, has therefore called on acting Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen to expedite action on the matter.
According to him, the delay calls for the need for continuous judicial reform in the country.Two parallel governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held in Enugu State in 2011 produced Obiechina and Chime as candidates of the party.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had however accorded recognition on Chime as the party’s candidate, a development that angered Obiechina who challenged same in court.
Since then, however, the matter had suffered various postponements.The PODF in their statement said the inability of the court to discharge the matter had continued to impact on the socio-political developments of Enugu State, adding that it was an indication that the much “talked about corruption in the judiciary is real”.
“Until we started reading about this matter, we never knew it exists even when the direct beneficiary has left office. It is sad and shows how far our judiciary can be manipulated.We are greatly alarmed that five years after, such a sensitive matter has been allowed to linger, with its attendant impact on the socio-political developments of Enugu State,” the group said.Source : The Guardian
