The Nigerian Judiciary has been charged to use the ongoing trials of election petitions across the country to regain the confidence of Nigerians.
The Anglican Diocese of Enugu who gave the admonition in a communique at the end of the 3rd Session of her 18th Synod held at the Cathedral Church of the Good Shepherd, Independent Layout Enugu, expressed dismay over the erosion of confidence of Nigerians in the country’s judiciary.
Also the Church frowned at what it called the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) failure to keep to its promises of free, fair and credible elections, particularly the promise of use of BIVAS and immediate transmission of results through the IREV portal in 2023 general election.
The Synod in the communique which was signed by the Chancellor, Prof. Offornze Amucheazi (SAN); Registrar, H.B.C Ogboko; Synod Secretary, Ven. Stanley Nweze and Archbishop/Bishop of Enugu, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, warned INEC to retrace it’s steps and be an unbiased umpire it supposed to be.
The communique reads in parts, “The Synod commends candidates and political parties who adopted the peaceful approach by challenging the outcome of the 2023 general elections at the Tribunals.
“The Synod is dismayed with the erosion of confidence of Nigerians in the judiciary and urges the judiciary to use the opportunity of the current election petition tribunals to regain peoples’ confidence by dispensing justice without fear or favour.
“The Synod congratulates Nigerians for their massive turn out in the exercise of their franchise in the February 25th and March 18th elections.
“The Synod frowns at INEC’s failure to keep to its promises of free, fair and credible elections, particularly the promise of use of BIVAS and immediate transmission of results through the IREV portal.
“The Synod expresses dissatisfaction with the conduct of INEC which portrayed the institution as being partisan in the ongoing election petition )matters and urges the commission to immediately retrace its steps.
“The Synod calls for the strengthening of INEC by making it truly independent by ensuring the appointments of credible persons as chairman and commissioners.”
Further on the 2023 general election the “Synod condemns the threats and attacks on eligible voters on election yydays, particularly in Lagos State where Igbo were attacked with their properties destroyed while preventing them from exercising their franchise.”
The Synod welcomed the recent appointments of Service Chiefs by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which she said reflected the Federal Character principle and commended the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his choice of a South Easterner as one of the service chiefs.
Noting that insecurity has not abated in the country despite the enormous resources committed towards the fight of insecurity, the Synod urged the newly appointed Service Chiefs to live up to expectations on their appointments and make life easy for the masses.
“The Synod frowns at the resurgence of kidnapping, armed robbery, rape, unlawful possession of firearms and other violent crimes in Enugu State and therefore calls on the state government and security agencies to scale up intelligent gathering measures and act proactively in tackling these security breaches.
“The Synod calls on Enugu State government and security agencies to intensify actions in the troubled Akpawfu Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area where lives and properties have been lost recently as well as Ugwuogo – Opi – Nsukka road where hoodlums have made travelling a nightmare,” the The Synod added.
