By Dapo Akinrefon Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Bode George, on Friday, urged the National Judicial Council, NJC, to protect the independence, integrity and credibility of the Nigerian judiciary, expressing worry over a recent court judgment arising from the party’s leadership dispute.George, in an open letter addressed to the Chairman of the NJC, said he was compelled to speak as a concerned citizen, democrat and PDP BoT member over developments he said had raised serious questions about public confidence in the administration of justice and the role of the courts in protecting constitutional democracy.He explained that the suit before the court was instituted by the Chairman and members of the PDP Board of Trustees to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to comply with existing judgments of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Federal High Court by updating its official records to reflect what he described as the authentic leadership of the party under Mr Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN).According to him, rather than determining the constitutional issues raised in the suit, including whether INEC was legally bound to implement the subsisting judgments, the court dismissed the action as a waste of judicial time.He further stated that the court awarded costs of N140 million against the PDP Board of Trustees and an additional N10 million against its counsel.The PDP leader described the development as troubling, noting that the issues involved extended beyond the internal affairs of the PDP and touched on the broader principles of constitutional governance and the rule of law.He also tackled the Nyesom Wike-led faction’s reported expulsion of senior members of the party, describing the development as illogical and inconsistent with the party’s structure.He argued that the judiciary occupies a unique position as the guardian of the Constitution and the rule of law, warning that any perception of political influence or constitutional inconsistency in judicial decisions could erode public trust in the courts.George reminded the NJC of its constitutional responsibility to preserve judicial independence, discipline and ethical standards, saying the council must act whenever judicial decisions generate widespread public concern.The letter, titled ‘The Imperative of preserving the sanctity, independenc…
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