Election tribunal: Kano govt decries attempt to bribe judge

The Kano State Government has expressed concern over a bribery alert raised by the Chairman of the Kano State National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge.

Azinge had said there was an attempt to bribe a member of the tribunal with money to sway justice in favour of a lawyer’s client.

She lamented in open court before the commencement of the session on Tuesday in Kano how senior lawyers particularly engaged in unethical practice.

A statement signed by the State Commissioner of Information, Malam Baba Halilu Dantiye, said: “The attention of the Kano State Government has been drawn to an allegation made by the chairman of Kano National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Hon. Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, that there was an attempt to bribe a member of the tribunal with money in order to sway Justice as according to her, “money has been flying in the Tribunal”.

Dantiye said the state government viewed the incident with great concern as there is a strong rumour that some “strong forces who are well-known for their corrupt attitude are working tirelessly to scuttle the hard-earned mandate of the people of Kano State”.

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He said the state government viewed the incident as a litmus test for the present administration to show Nigerians its commitment to fighting corruption and defending democratic principles by ensuring that the case was thoroughly investigated and the culprits prosecuted.

“The anti-corruption agencies are equally expected to swing into action, especially when this type of allegation was made in open court by a respected Judge,” he said.

The commissioner said the government, however, viewed with delight the action of Justice Azinge as a positive testimony that “there is still hope in the Nigerian judiciary, and that Judges and Justices with high sense of integrity abound in our country.

“The state government also thanked the good people of Kano that voted the NNPP into power with well over one million votes at a time when they didn’t have federal, state, local government and financial resources.”

“The government, therefore, notes and appreciates the readiness of Kano people to defend their mandate through whatever means possible,” Dantiye added.