Presisencial Election : $10 million budgeted to buy Supreme Court Justices

A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, on Thursday raised the alarm that some desperate politicians have embarked on clandestine moves to upturn the victory of Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, at the Court of Appeal with monetary inducement of $2 million for each of the five Supreme Court Justices.

He therefore challenged the Supreme Court Justices to maintain their integrity and resist any attempt of subversiveness through inducement as regards the Osun governorship matter.

According to him, recent intelligence reports available have suggested that the enemies of democracy and fascist elements operating in the APC were bent on truncating democracy by using every state apparatus available in perpetuating mischief and subversion of legitimacy, as evident in the just concluded governorship rerun election in Adamawa State.

The political activist in a statement said that with an overwhelming Court of Appeal judgement, affirming the victory of Governor Adeleke and a previous Supreme Court judgment clearing all issues as regards his eligibility and certificates, “it is clear that any further judicial exercise is akin to witch hunt.”

Frank, the Ambassador of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) in East Africa and Middle East, in a statement alleged that some desperate politicians in the APC were bent on compromising the integrity of the judiciary by upturning the decision of the Court of Appeal by any means necessary in relation to the Osun state Supreme Court decision.

He alleged that monetary inducement, coercion and intimidation using state security agencies to influence the judgment of the Supreme Court were rife and underway.

Frank alleged thus: “Howbeit, these same elements who have been operating without fear for consequences have once again arisen to compromise the integrity of the judiciary by vowing to upturn the decision of the Court of Appeal, by any means necessary in relation to the Osun State Supreme Court decision.

“Monetary inducement of $2 million per JSC on this matter is the offer inherent as well as coercion and intimidation using state security agencies to greatly influence the judgment of the SC is in top gear and underway.

“The Supreme Court must be put on notice that Nigerians are very interested in the outcomes of judgement decisions from the SC and will continue to beam it’s searchlights on the discreet activities of the Judges especially after the ridiculous decisions as regards Senator Ahmad Lawan and Senator Godswill Akpabio. We are constrained to believe that indeed, recent decisions from the SC suggest that certain compromise may have been plausible by the outcomes of judicial matters.

“The hopes of many Nigerians is fast fading away as most Nigerians doubt the independence of the judiciary in the dispense of justice. The SC must not be seen going the way of the INEC chairman, who blatantly voided its own rules to subvert the will of the people save for personal aggrandisement.

“The JSC must put the country first in its discharge of their constitutional duties. The 2023 Presidential Elections results are still rife in the minds of many and thus any attempt to deliver any controversial judgement may end up in anarchy.

“The SC must be reminded that the Osun State matter will be first litmus test for the JSC. The facts of the matter are very clear, with the CA putting to rest the issues of over voting and any other discrepancies. Therefore the minimum expectations for the SC is to stand by the truth and avoid any semblance of intimidation and coercion. The right thing must be done, as it is clear that the Osun people are extremely pleased with the choice of their governor and are elated with his performance since his inception into office.

“In other to demonstrate independence and integrity the SC should as a matter of Public Opinion approve for the use of live telecast in broadcasting its proceeding for the Presidential Elections matter. The Supreme Court must stand on what is right and just and endeavor to reclaim its already battered image.”