- Tasks judiciary on citizen’s interest, not political leaders
BY EDMOND ODOK – The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Center) has condemned the recent court order for the payment of pension arrears to former Governor of Taraba State, Reverend Jolly Nyame.
Reacting to a recent directive by the National Industrial Court (NIC) sitting in Abuja that the Taraba State Government pays Nyame his pension arrears alongside other judgment creditors in the suits, HEDA said, “This administration needs to make themselves clear to the people. How can you be fighting corruption yet you are aiding more corruption by your actions?”
A statement rejecting the court order and signed by the HEDA chairman, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, said; “First, the Presidential pardon was unpardonable! Now the court is ordering the state to pay arrears to Nyame. This is Wickedness! The same person who was convicted for stealing the state blind,”
According to Suraju, such actions from the court are capable of engendering more corrupt practices and other malfeasances, adding; “These are the kind of court decisions that breed more corrupt practices with impunity.
“As far as fighting corruption is concerned the judiciary is yet to live above board. Should we believe Ayi Kwei Armah who says “The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born”?
Saraju, who urged other civil society organizations to rise in condemnation of indefensible acts, decisions, and policies of this nature, charged the judiciary to be sensitive to citizens’ interests and not to politicians and ruling elites.
“I’m afraid if Nigerians would ever trust the judiciary if they are not sensitive to citizens’ interests, but believe the political leaders rather than looking at what is happening,” he said.
The NIC’s order has continued to attract outrage from several individuals and civil society groups in addition to the unpardonable pardon granted to them by the president.
Mr. Nyame and three other judgment creditors – Uba Ahmadu, Abubakar Armayau, and Bilkisu Danboyi – had filed a ‘garnishee proceeding’, which is a judicial process of enforcement of a monetary judgment by confiscation of assets belonging to the judgment debtor.
Recall that Nigeria president Muhammadu Buhari had in April granted a state pardon to Joshua Dariye (erstwhile governor of Plateau state) and Jolly Nyame who were indicted and jailed for corruption.
Dariye and Nyame were imprisoned for stealing public funds to the tune of N1.16billion and N1.6billion respectively.
Nyame and Dariye were governors of their respective states from 1999 to 2007. Mr Nyame, who was governor of Taraba State from 1999 to 2007, was jailed for 14 years for fraud in May 2018 by an Abuja High Court.
