...Name lawyers that offered you N10m bribe, NBA tells tribunal
The All Progressives Congress, (APC), has cautioned the Kano State government of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, (NNPP), advising them to refrain from causing embarrassment to the Chairperson of the National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Flora Azinge.
This warning comes in light of allegations involving a purported N10 million bribe offered to her legal team.
The statement conveying this message was released yesterday by the spokesperson for the Gawuna-Gari campaign council, Muhammad Garba. Simultaneously, the Kano State Government has urged law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate the accusation and apprehend those influential individuals who are notorious for engaging in corrupt practices.
Justice Azinge has raised concerns over senior lawyers attempting to influence the judges within her team with bribery. Shortly after the revelation, the Kano State government released a report that some strong forces who are well-known for their corrupt attitude are working tirelessly to scuttle the hard-earned mandate of the people of Kano State. The statement, signed by State Commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye, said the NNPP government viewed the incident as a litmus test for the present administration to ensure that the case was thoroughly investigated and the culprits prosecuted.
Reacting, Garba, who was the immediate-past Commissioner for Information and a Chief of Staff to the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, stated that the statement was a subtle attempt to denigrate the APC and the court. He further alleged that the deliberate attempt to malign the tribunal chairman could have been spurred out of fear that the Kano government may not secure a favourable judgment. According to him, the action of the Kano state government was nothing but a gimmick and an attempt to disparage the APC.
Meanwhile, following the revelation that some persons are seeking to pervert the course of justice at the tribunal by offering bribes to judges, the Kano State Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) has implored the tribunal in the State to reveal identity of lawyers involved in the N10 million bribery allegation.
The NBA State Chairman, Bar. Sagir Suleiman Gezawa, while reacting to the allegation yesterday, called on the tribunal to divulge the identity of the lawyers, the evidence, or facts to support the allegation.
Barr. Gezawa said the chapter has already written a letter to the tribunal seeking for an audience to that effect and awaiting response.
