The Advocate of Social Justice For All (ASJA) has appealed to
the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the Hon. Attorney General
and Minister of Justice (AGF) 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.
In his address on what he described as manipulation of the Benue
state judiciary by Ortom as an instrument to harass an elder
statesman and anti corruption crusader Alhaji AB Tsav who is the
National Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Benue state
over his exposure of fraudulent activities of the current
administration in the state, the Executive Director, ASJA, Asongo
Venatius alleged that the activities of the Governor of Benue state
and his penchant for the manipulation of the Benue State Judiciary
to settle personal and political scores with his enemies is
becoming alarming.
Venatius said the actions of the state government is becoming
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.
He said this appeal to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the
Attorney General of the Federal Government is to bring to the
notice the activities of the Benue State Judiciary in harassing
anti-corruption fighters in the State of Benue.
The Convener said that failure of the Government of Benue State
to drop the criminal charges, against Alh. Tsav current helmsman of
the Public Complaint Commission, the civil society would be tempted
to believe that his prosecution is premeditated on the Governor’s
widely circulated statement that he 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.
He, however recalled that the cardinal point of President
Muhammadu Buhari administration is to eliminate corruption to its
barest minimum.
The Convener emphatically stressed that 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 the state’s national commissioner, Public
Complaint Commission who is the social watch dog of the common man
in the state on the basis that he has made allegations against the
governments fraudulent activities.
“Your lordship, on May 16, 2017 following the call of the
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 in his official capacity as
national commissioner Public Complaints Commission in charge of
Benue State wrote a letter to the Governor 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 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 Ortom in his usual characteristic and dramatic manner
instructed the Attorney General of Benue State to institute
criminal prosecution against the person of Alh. Tsav. 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.
“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,” he
said.
He explained that how does allegations of fraud against public
institutions and officials amount to “Injurious falsehood” without
being first of all investigated? Adding that 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?
Venatius said based on 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 Ortom and Benue State
Government, anything short of this is highly unacceptable by the
civil society.
He said the civil society hope that as they re-forward the
fraudulent activities of the state government 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. Tsav CP and
that all citizens are equal before the law,” he added.
The Advocate of Social Justice For All (ASJA) has appealed to
the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the Hon. Attorney General
and Minister of Justice (AGF) 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.
In his address on what he described as manipulation of the Benue
state judiciary by Ortom as an instrument to harass an elder
statesman and anti corruption crusader Alhaji AB Tsav who is the
National Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Benue state
over his exposure of fraudulent activities of the current
administration in the state, the Executive Director, ASJA, Asongo
Venatius alleged that the activities of the Governor of Benue state
and his penchant for the manipulation of the Benue State Judiciary
to settle personal and political scores with his enemies is
becoming alarming.
Venatius said the actions of the state government is becoming
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.
He said this appeal to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the
Attorney General of the Federal Government is to bring to the
notice the activities of the Benue State Judiciary in harassing
anti-corruption fighters in the State of Benue.
The Convener said that failure of the Government of Benue State
to drop the criminal charges, against Alh. Tsav current helmsman of
the Public Complaint Commission, the civil society would be tempted
to believe that his prosecution is premeditated on the Governor’s
widely circulated statement that he 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.
He, however recalled that the cardinal point of President
Muhammadu Buhari administration is to eliminate corruption to its
barest minimum.
The Convener emphatically stressed that 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 the state’s national commissioner, Public
Complaint Commission who is the social watch dog of the common man
in the state on the basis that he has made allegations against the
governments fraudulent activities.
“Your lordship, on May 16, 2017 following the call of the
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 in his official capacity as
national commissioner Public Complaints Commission in charge of
Benue State wrote a letter to the Governor 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 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 Ortom in his usual characteristic and dramatic manner
instructed the Attorney General of Benue State to institute
criminal prosecution against the person of Alh. Tsav. 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.
“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,” he
said.
He explained that how does allegations of fraud against public
institutions and officials amount to “Injurious falsehood” without
being first of all investigated? Adding that 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?
Venatius said based on 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 Ortom and Benue State
Government, anything short of this is highly unacceptable by the
civil society.
He said the civil society hope that as they re-forward the
fraudulent activities of the state government 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. Tsav CP and
that all citizens are equal before the law,” he added.
Read more https://www.nairalaw.com/benue-judiciary-csos-seek-cjn-agf-intervention-on-corruption-allegations/