The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed significant concerns about the recent judgment of the Enugu Governorship Election Petition Tribunal. The rights group, in a statement on Tuesday, pointed out disparities and inconsistencies in the tribunal’s ruling compared to similar cases, raising questions about the integrity of the electoral process.
In its assessment of the tribunal’s decision, HURIWA noted disparities between the Enugu governorship case and recent election annulments by other tribunals. While the latter cases were annulled due to alleged over-voting and irregularities, the Enugu governorship tribunal’s ruling has led to accusations of undue influence and compromised proceedings.
One major concern highlighted by HURIWA in the statement signed by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko is the unresolved issue of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate presented by the incumbent governor, Peter Mbah. The tribunal’s ruling did not conclusively address the authenticity of the certificate, despite accusations of forgery by the Labour Party candidate, Chijioke Edeoga.
HURIWA also pointed out inconsistencies in the tribunal’s handling of similar cases, such as the Enugu House of Assembly election and the Nasarawa governorship case. Allegations of over-voting and irregularities were addressed differently in these cases, raising questions about the tribunal’s fairness and adherence to legal principles.
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The organization emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of the tribunal’s judgment to address these concerns and called for transparency and fairness to uphold justice and the rule of law in Nigeria.
