The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA has called for a visa ban on corrupt judges, condemning recent Federal High Court judgments that are perceived as politically motivated.
The group cited the judgment halting federal allocations to Rivers State as alarming, calling for international embassies, including those of the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union, to impose travel restrictions on the judges involved in politically motivated rulings.
The move comes after Justice Joyce Abdulmalik’s ruling to halt financial allocations to Rivers State. The lawsuit, initiated by a faction within the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike, claims the power to halt funds distribution within the state.
The group in its statement signed by Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, equated the judgement to a “constitutional coup” that disrupts Nigeria’s democracy.
HURIWA argued that such judgements are not new just as the Imo State governorship verdict that led to a visa ban on Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun (now the Chief Justice of Nigeria).
This recent ruling, according to HURIWA, “effectively disregards a longstanding Supreme Court principle affirming that statutory allocations to states cannot be withheld by federal authorities.”
It insisted that “the judgement violates established legal precedence, putting Rivers State and Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration at risk of political destabilization”.
HURIWA said this was a strategic attempt to undermine Governor Fubara’s administration through judicial means.
According to HURIWA, “such ‘partisan’ judgements blatantly contradict principles of judicial impartiality, as the judiciary should uphold constitutional protections rather than favor specific political agendas”.
“The judgement issued is like dousing the flames of political discord in Rivers State with gasoline, in what appears to be a deliberate push toward civil instability,” HURIWA stated.
“Justice Abdulmalik’s decision delegitimizes the duly elected administration of Governor Fubara, and as such, is unconstitutional and akin to a plot to forcefully remove the governor without due process.”
