Chief Bode George, the former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has formally requested that the National Judicial Council (NJC) intervene to safeguard the credibility and independence of the Nigerian judiciary. His appeal follows a controversial court ruling related to an ongoing leadership conflict within his party.
In a letter to the NJC Chairman, George expressed alarm regarding the implications of a recent court decision. He explained that members of the PDP Board of Trustees had sought a court order to force the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to align its records with previous Supreme Court and appellate court rulings that recognize the leadership faction headed by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN). Instead of addressing the constitutional issues of compliance, the court dismissed the case as a misuse of its time and imposed heavy financial penalties of N140 million on the Board of Trustees and N10 million on their legal counsel.
George criticized the court’s dismissal and labeled the expulsion of senior party members by the Nyesom Wike-led faction as illogical. He emphasized that the judiciary serves as the ultimate guardian of the rule of law. He warned that if judicial decisions appear to be influenced by politics or fail to uphold legal consistency, public trust in democratic institutions will suffer. He urged the NJC to fulfill its constitutional role in maintaining ethical standards and ensuring that the bench remains impartial.
