Emordi Vs Igbeke: CNPP Asks Jonathan to Intervene

Written by This Day Saturday, 15 May 2010

Outraged by what it described as the “culture of impunity, arbitrariness and contempt” as evidenced by the refusal of the Senate to comply with the Court of Appeal ruling ordering it to swear in the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party in the 2007 National Assembly election in Anambra North Senatorial District, Alphonsus Igbeke as the winner of the said election, the Conference of Nigeria Political Party yesterday asked President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene.

The appellate court had last Wednesday reaffirmed its judgement of March 25 in which it sacked Senator Joy Emordi and in her place declared Igbeke as the winner. The court also ordered the leadership of the senate to without further delay, swear in Igbeke as the true winner of the election in Anambra North zone.

But surprisingly, the court order was on Thursday overlooked as the Senate maintained that it would continue to recognise Emordi, citing a Notice of Appeal to the Supreme Court by the embattled senator.However, reacting to the development, the CNPP in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu which was made available to THISDAY in Enugu berated Senate President David Mark for flagrantly refusing to obey the Court of Appeal order, stating that such situation portends great danger for the nation’s democracy and rule of law.

“CNPP in league with most democrats disagree vehemently with the flimsy reason of the Senate placing premium on Order 53 of the Senate above a subsisting Appeal Court Judgment, being canvassed by the Senate Leadership. It is rubbish, for it is trite law that any law or order for that matter that is inconsistence with the constitution is null, void and of no effect.

“The Appeal Court for the avoidance of doubt is the final court in the matter of senatorial elections petition disputes and the Supreme Court has maintained that Notice of whatever hue is neither Court Order nor Judgment.
“Accordingly, we call on the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark to come down from the high horse, embrace democratic tenets, stop abusing court process and indeed denigrating the Senate he heads; for injustice anywhere is a threat to justice. Hon Igbeke should be sworn-in as ordered by the Appeal Court forthwith.”

“Enough is Enough; for it is high time for Senator David Mark to stand on the positive side of history; as the same Senator David Mark who boasted that telephone is not for the poor in Nigeria , is alive today and to his chagrin is watching the poor in Oturkpo owning phones.

“Senator David Mark by placing his personal relationship with Senator Joy Emordi above the constitution and the law; has once more brought to the front burner the urgency for genuine electoral reform, in order to enable the true representatives of the people to preside over our legislatures,” he stated.

Okechukwu in the statement therefore called on President Jonathan and the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Bello Adoke to intervene and save the nation’s fledgling democracy and the Appeal Court from “anti-democrats”.