The Executive Director, Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER), Barr. Frank Tietie, has said the move by the Supreme Court to review decisions on elections in Zamfara, Bayelsa, Imo States will remain historically justifiable especially when the will of the people is allowed through popular elections.
Addressing a cross section of the media in Abuja on Wednesday on the Supreme Court decision to review some of these cases, the human rights activist averred that the move amounts to serving the cause of justice especially where clearly the majority of the votes cast in the Governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections for a party was technically set aside.
He said: “As we Await the Supreme Court review of its decision on elections in Zamfara State and others, justice in a democracy is when the will of the people prevail through popular elections
“As the Supreme Court, unprecedented in its history has agreed, in a row, to review its decisions regarding the elections in Imo, Bayelsa and Zamfara States where clearly, the majority of the votes cast in the elections in the governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were set aside.
He explained that it is the expectations of majority of Nigerians that the true will of the people will be salvaged by reason of a review of the consequential orders of the Supreme Court, which practically stripped for example the ruling party of all the elective positions it won in Zamfara State during the 2019 general elections on account of faulty party primaries.
According to him, party primaries are essentially an internal party matter and when indeed, a political party participated in a general election that was widely considered free, fair and credible and, the party won the majority votes cast for the elective positions as in the case of Zamfara State which is predominantly an APC State and, where the APC actually won the seats for the Governor, all the Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly, it will be very difficult for a reasonable person to understand why the APC was denied all of its victories and a party that did not win majority of the votes as a matter of fact was a beneficiary because of internal party issues which the APC had.
He said: “Considering that the Supreme Court by its inherent powers is able review, amend, correct and /or set aside its own orders where necessary, in the interest of justice, the expectation of the many Nigerians, especially Zamfarans, is that the Supreme Court will ensure that the popular will of the people prevail in the 2019 general elections which held in Zamfara State.
“A just and equitable consideration of the majority of the votes which the APC secured and won the elections, will go far in enhancing the essence of democracy in Nigeria and everywhere in the world.”
