The All Progressives Congress (APC) has refuted speculations that it traded away the Kano State governorship seat in a bid to avert post-election violence.
The party’s Deputy National Organizing Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, clarified that Friday’s Supreme Court ruling was solely a legal matter determined by judges.
Speaking in an interview, Duru acknowledged the party’s disappointment in losing the Kano governorship but said the party holds unwavering respect for judicial pronouncements.
He said: “The judiciary spoke and that is why we have the various tiers of the judiciary. You have the trial courts and then you have the Court of Appeal, thereafter you have the Supreme Court and that is not in any way to denigrate the understanding of the learned justices who were at the various levels of adjudication systems. The trial court appreciated and pronounced the fact as they understood it and the same thing happened when they went to the Court of Appeal. It was also basically to that extent they appreciated the matter and those in the final court saw it differently and then of course pronounced judgment based on the facts that were before them.
“So, it does not in anyway denigrate one section of the arm of the judiciary against the other and it is in the wisdom of our founding fathers that we have these various layers of adjudicational process; that first, if you err at the trial court, then those at the higher courts may then look at it and find a different understanding based on the understanding that they have.
“I did not see any politics in it. I did not also see any arrangement based on that. What did happen was that at the trial court, they understood the fact differently, at the Court of Appeal they also understood it but more importantly at the Supreme Court which is the final arbiter in the judicial process, a different understanding was given to it and a pronouncement was made accordingly.
“Law is what it is. Law is based on law and then on facts and if for anything, I want to believe that we should applaud our judiciary for again rising up to the occasion and then espousing the law in a way that Nigerians are confident that you can actually take your differences and grievances to an impartial arbiter and there will be justice dispensed in a way that is satisfactory to all parties involved.
“It is also commendable in a way that it did also suggest that even if there is the suspicion of an interference in the arm of government, that Friday’s ruling and exposition on the part of the judiciary also did show that they are essentially independent. It gives confidence to both the political actors that the only way you can win election really and frankly is to reach to the electorate; to canvass your views, your ideas and your ideals, share your manifestos with them and then when you win, you win fair and square,” he added.
