THE Supreme Court has warned Farooq Kperogi, a Nigerian professor based in the United States (US) against “unwarranted attacks” on the Nigerian judiciary.
Kperogi had criticised the Supreme Court over its recent judgment that confirmed former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio and Senate President Ahmad Lawan as senatorial candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the February 25 elections.
In an article titled “Lawan and Supreme Court of Shameless Judicial Bandits” which Kperogi authored and shared on social media platforms, he described the apex court “as the most hopeless Supreme Court in the history of the world’s supreme courts”.
Lawan and Supreme Court of Shameless Judicial Bandits
I was awoken on this side of the world by news of the reversal by the Nigerian Supreme Court of Senate Pres. Ahmed Lawan's primary election loss. I was already mentally prepared for it after the same Supreme Court affirmed— Farooq Kperogi (@farooqkperogi) February 6, 2023
However, in a statement issued by the Supreme Court’s Director of Press and Information, Festus Akande, the apex court warned Kperogi and other Nigerians against attacking the judiciary, especially the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
Akande described Kperogi’s piece as an “an ineptly poorly scripted toxic article” that exposed “his irredeemable ignorance” about the law “with a view to pleasing his paymasters”.
He added that the silence of the Supreme Court over unwarranted attacks “must not be mistaken for weakness or cowardice”.
Akande frowned at Kperogi’s choice of words and cautioned Nigerians against violating the rights of others in the course of expressing their sentiments.
“Even in a state of emotional disequilibrium, we should be reasonable enough to make a good choice of decent words, as every word employed by the pen-happy Kperogi only succeeded in portraying the kind of vacuum that sign-posts all that he has as academic accomplishment.
“Certainly, every Nigerian citizen has an inalienable right to express his or her opinion without any encumbrance; but even in the course of expressing such fundamental right, we should be circumspect enough to observe the caution gate of self-control in order not to infringe on another person’s right,” the Supreme Court spokesman said.
Akande explained that all matters brought to Nigerian courts are thoroughly analysed and considered based on their merits “and not the faces that appear in court or sentiments that attempt to becloud the sense of reasoning”.
“So, for anyone in his or her right frame of mind to insinuate that the Justices have been bought over by some unknown and unseen persons is, to say the least, a bizarre expression of ignorance, which definitely has no place in law or even in the realm of pedestrian reasoning,” he added.
Sinafi Omanga is a multimedia journalist and researcher with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. He has a keen interest in humanitarian reporting, social justice, and environment.
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@OmangaSinafi
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The supreme court has really brought shame and disgrace to Nigerians
Even if one doesn’t know anything about rule and law, common sense is enough to discern the judgment of the supreme court as bought and sold. Nothing is impossible or beyond our judges once you can afford the price. If I have the opportunity, I will write something more toxic than what Farooq Kperogi wrote about those kindergarten judges.