JUST IN: Civil Society Group Storm Abuja Court In Numbers To Protest Against Governor Ortom For Using The Judiciary To Harass Abubakar Tsav

Read the press release below..



PRESS RELEASE ON THE MANIPULATION OF THE BENUE STATE

JUDICIARY BY GOVERNOR SAMUEL ORTOM AS AN INSTRUMENT

TO HARASS ELDER STATESMAN AND ANTI-CORRUPTION

CRUSADER ALHAJI AB TSAV CP RTD AND NATIONAL

COMMISSIONER PUBLIC COMPLAINTS COMMISSION BENUE STATE

OVER HIS EXPOSURE OF FRAUDULENT ACTIVITIES IN GOVERNOR

SAMUEL ORTOM ADMINISTRATION:

Being text of speech addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and

the Hon. Attorney General and Minister of Justice (AGF) by civil society

group: Advocate of Social Justice For All (ASJA) this 30 th day of June

2017

Your Lordship the Chief Justice of Nigeria CJN

The Hon. Attorney General and Minister of Justice

Learned Members of the Silk Profession on the Bench and Bar

Fellow Compatriots, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press.

1. This pronouncement by the Advocate of Social Justice For All

(ASJA) has become imminent and imperative based on the recent

nefarious activities of GOVERNOR SAMUEL ORTOM of Benue state

and his penchant for the manipulation of the Benue State Judiciary to

settle personal and political scores with his enemies (Both real and

perceived). This is more worrisome because the development if left

un-checked indicates a dangerous mindset towards the survival of

democracy in Nigeria and also reduces our nation’s dignity among

the comity of Nations around the globe.

This appeal to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Attorney General

of the Federal Government is to bring to your notice the activities of

the Benue State Judiciary in harassing anti-corruption fighters in the

State of Benue. We are to state emphatically that the cardinal point of

president Buhari Administration is to eliminate corruption to its barest

minimum. Therefore, it would be counterproductive to allow the

Governor of Benue state to continue to use the power of the state to

manipulate the Benue State Judiciary to harass an Elder Stateman

who is also the National Commissioner of the Public Complaint

Commission, the Social Watch Dog of the Common man on the basis

that he has made allegations against the Governments fraudulent

activities.



2. Your lordship, on the 16 th day of May,2017 following the call of the

Executive Governor of Benue State SAMUEL ORTOM that “anyone

with a case of corruption against Benue State Government

should blow the whistle” in line with the Federal Government

Policy and President Buhari’s Cardinal Objective, Alh. A. B Tsav CP

Rtd. in his official capacity as national commissioner Public

Complaints Commission in charge of Benue State wrote a letter to

the executive Governor of Benue state SAMUEL ORTOM

highlighting some of the verifiable fraudulent activities of the

Government of Benue State and Pleaded for investigation on behalf

of the masses whose social welfare has been neglected completely

by the Governor of Benue State. This, the petitioner did in good faith

as a social watchdog. The letter attached for your perusal, highlighted

among many corruption cases the activities of GOVERNOR

SAMUEL ORTOM led government and his cronies. Your lordship, of

course the letter was well circulated to all security agencies and the

presidency for scrutiny and investigation, unfortunately and to our

greatest shock which of course is a major setback to the anti-

corruption drive of President Buhari’s administration; GOVERNOR

SAMUEL ORTOM in his usual characteristic and dramatic manner

instructed the Attorney General of Benue State to institute criminal

prosecution against the person of Alh. A.B. Tsav CP Rtd. Current

National Commissioner Public Complaint Commission

notwithstanding the fact that the petitioner only acted in his official

capacity as the social watchdog of the society.

3. Your lordship, we are to bring to your notice that indeed a criminal

prosecution was initiated by the Attorney General of Benue State

against the person of Alh. A.B. Tsav CP Rtd. Current National

Commissioner Public Complaint Commission on the instruction of

the Governor. Your lordship, take further notice that the charge

against the accused is “Injurious falsehood” this has been filed in

the Magistrate Court 1 in the Benue State Judicial Division.

4. Your lordship, how does allegations of fraud against public

institutions and officials amount to “Injurious falsehood” without

being first of all investigated? Has any security agency investigated

the claims and prosecuted same in the competent court of law to

arrive at the fact that indeed the allegations are “Injurious

falsehood” capable of inciting the public against the Government as

alleged by the State Government? Your lordship, the common law

of social justice states that those who seek equity must also come to

equity with clean hands should be tested by GOVERNOR SAMUEL

ORTOM and Benue State Government. Anything short of this is

highly unacceptable by the civil society.

Your lordship, the civil society acknowledges the positive reforms

you have introduced in the Judiciary and we are committed to ensure

that no authority is allowed to puncture your effort and dent the anti-

corruption war of President Buhari’s Administration.

5. Your lordship, the civil societies have made a commitment with

President Buhari to ensure that the rule of law is entrenched and

enhanced in our country. To this end we would further appeal to you

that you use your good office to put an eye on the Benue State

Judiciary so as to check mate the negative tendencies and mindset of

the executive Governor of Benue State GOVERNOR SAMUEL

ORTOM towards his penchant for consistent manipulation of the

Benue State Judiciary for the sole and petty purpose of settling

political and personal scores with elders and citizens who speak

against fraud in his Government

6. Your lordship, the civil society read the content of the allegations

against the Governor and Government of Benue State and found

same to be worthy of investigations. We therefore, by this notice call

on all security agencies to investigate forthwith.

7. Your lordship, the civil society by this appeal call on you to draw the

attention of the Benue State Chief Judge to these allegations in other

to protect the judiciary from total collapse in Benue State.

8. Your lordship, our appeal is predicated on the confidence we repose

in your administration and your impartial approach to issues in the

Nigeria’s Judiciary having regard to your reforms agenda. We are

hopeful that your intervention would cause the Governor of Benue

State GOVERNOR SAMUEL ORTOM and his Government to drop

the criminal charges against Alh. A.B. Tsav CP Rtd. Current

National Commissioner Public Complaint Commission and wait

for the report of the security agencies after investigations on the

allegations against his government is completed.

9. Failure of the Government of Benue State to drop the criminal

charges, against Alh. A.B. Tsav CP Rtd. Current National

Commissioner Public Complaint Commission, the civil society

would be tempted to believe that his prosecution is premeditated on

the Governor’s widely circulated statement that Alh. A.B. Tsav CP

Rtd. is a Muslim and indigene of Kano against the actual truth that he

is a Nigerian and a true Benue SON as well as an Elder State man

currently serving the Federal Government as National

Commissioner Public Complaint Commission.

Your lordship the above impression is not healthy should we allow it

to fly especially now that religious and ethnic agitations are ripe in the

country.

10. Your lordship, it is our hope that as we re-forward the fraudulent

activities of GOVERNOR SAMUEL ORTOM administration to the

security agencies, you would keep a peeled eye on the emerging

issues so that the rule of law shall triumph over abuse of power as

seen in the Benue State Scenario.

Your lordship, The Chief Justice of Nigeria, The Hon. Attorney

General and Minster of Justice, Fellow Compatriots, Ladies and

Gentlemen, the Civil Society uses this medium to restate that should the

activities of the Benue State Judiciary go unchecked, we shall mobilize our

members across the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT to further

demonstrate our commitment to the international community that social

justice and rule of law are fundamental basics of every Nigerian including

Alh. A.B. Tsav CP Rtd. and that all citizens are equal before the law.

Sponsored By ASONGO VITALIS

Executive Director

(ASJA)