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My victory is triumph for rule of law
My victory is triumph for rule of law
-Gov. Haruna
TONY AILEMEN,
Yola
AN
exultant Gov. Boni Haruna of Adamawa State has described last Monday’s Appeal
Court ruling upholding his re-election in 2003 as "a triumph of the rule of
law."
In a broadcast to the people of the state
yesterday, Gov. Haruna said "the judgment has reinforced our belief in the
judiciary as a veritable institution in the sustenance of our democratic
process."
On the heels of the court ruling, the
governor’s party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has seared a big fight in
All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) chieftain and former Gov. of the state, Alhaji
Saleh Michika.
Michika has crossed over to the PDP saying
he dumped the ANPP over alleged insincerity of some of the party leaders.
Upturning the verdict of the Kashim Zannah
tribunal which on March 24 this year annulled Gov. Haruna’s re-election, the
Appeal Court, led by Justice Pius Olayiwola said the overall evidence provided
by the ANPP petitioners/cross-appellants was insufficient to prove the minutest
of a criminal offence.
In the broadcast, Gov. Haruna expressed
appreciation to all those who stood by him, especially President Olusegun
Obasanjo, through the turbulent period. He called on the people of the state to
be governed by the spirit of magnanimity towards one another
He also expressed his appreciation to Vice
President, Atiku Abubakar for taking the matter as a personal challenge.
Others he thanked include the National
Chairman of the PDP, Chief Audu Ogbeh; acting chairman of the party’s Board of
Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; Governors of Nasarawa, Niger, Kwara, Taraba and
Abia for personally visiting Yola, the Adamawa capital, to sympathise with him
when the re-election was annulled.
In extending the same gratitude to
Governors of PDP controlled states, Governor Haruna noted that their support and
encouragement gave him the strength and zeal to surmount all mountains that
stood on his way.
"With deep sense of modesty, I wish to
thank members of my family particularly my wife and children whose support made
it possible for me to cope with the pressure," he added.
At a rally organised to celebrate the
court victory of Gov. Haruna by PDP supporters, in Yola, Alhaji Michika told the
audience that "scales had fallen from my eyes."
Alhaji Michika declared that his former
party, ANPP, was characterised by alleged" mischief makers and unfaithful
members."
Alhaji Michika, who hails from the same
local government as Gov. Haruna, claimed he was the happiest person on earth
over the triumph of Haruna who beat his formerly party’s gubernatorial
candidate, Alhaji Adamu Modibb, in court.
The former Governor said that he predicted
that Modibbo would fail at the Appeal Court even as said he was against ANPP’s
idea of cross appealing at the court.
"I warned members of the ANPP but they
will not listen; the party is characterised by unfaithful people and mischief
makers who call themselves members," he alleged.
Alhaji Michika, who attended the rally
with a handful of his supporters, led the decampees to formally declare for the
PDP.
He appealed to Adamawa people to join
hands with Gov. Haruna to salvage the state from poverty and underdevelopment.
Receiving he decampees, the state PDP
chairman, Chief Joel Madaki, observed that with the latest development PDP is
now prepared to dominate the ANPP in Adamawa and observed the decampees that
they will be protected by the party.
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