Supreme Court: How President Tinubu Prevented What Happened In 1983 From Repeating Itself – Marafa

Senator Kabiru Marafa has commended the neutrality of President Bola Tinubu in determining the outcome of the Supreme Court verdict on the 2023 governorship elections in Nigeria.

Naija News recalls the Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the electoral victories of some governors, including those of Abba Kabir Yusuf (Kano), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), who are all of the opposition parties.

Reacting to the development in a statement on Monday, Senator Marafa said President Tinubu’s neutrality ensured what happened in 1983 when the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) grabbed states that were hitherto of the opposition, leading to the eventual collapse of the second republic did not repeat itself in Nigeria’s democracy.

Marafa, who was the Zamfara Coordinator of the Campaign Council of Tinubu/Shettima during the general elections, said the President has saved the country’s democracy and restored hope in the judiciary.

He said the will of Nigerians have prevailed and Tinubu resisted the pressure from some loyalists to intervene in the judicial process.

“It is a welcome development. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has by this singular action of non-interference in the Supreme Court judgement saved the country’s democracy and forestalled the repeat of the 1983 scenario. You will recall that it was after the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) grabbed states that were hitherto of the opposition that the Second Republic collapsed,” he said.

Marafa also commended the Supreme Court judges for their resolve to do the right thing, saying the Justices have written their names in gold.

The former lawmaker recalled how the judiciary delivered a landmark judgement in Zamfara State, which gave victory to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after he protested the imposition of candidates in the 2019 governorship election primaries of his own party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“I protested the conduct of the kangaroo primaries and the imposition of candidates by the then Governor Abdulaziz Yari, the judiciary stood up to the occasion and delivered a landmark judgment that gave the whole state to the PDP opposition party.

“The Judiciary must be allowed to be just and fair no matter whose ox is gored, this is necessary if the political actors want democracy to endure in the country,” he said.

Senator Marafa urged the governors to be magnanimous, just and fair in governing their respective states and specifically congratulated Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal on his victory at the court.

“I, hereby, call on the governor of our dear state, Zamfara State to collaborate with His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima and relevant security agencies to restore the much-needed peace and security in Zamfara State. Peace is what our people are yearning for and nothing more,” Marafa said.