There is tension in Niger State as the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has raised the alarm over change in the trial judge handling the corruption case against former Governor Babangida Aliyu; its governorship candidate, Umar Nasko; and the party’s state Chairman, Tanko Beji.
In the statement signed by the Director of Communications Umar Nasko Gubernatorial Campaign Organisation, Yahaya Mohammed Usman, it was alleged that the latest development “is a well orchestrated plan sponsored and oiled by the Niger State Government.
The party also expressed fears over the shifting in the date for continuation of the case.
It should be recalled that Justice Aliyu Maiyaki of the Niger State High Court started hearing the case which bordered on alleged diversion of ecological funds for which Aliyu was the first defendant, while Nasko and Beji are the second and third defendants.
Justice Maiyaki had at the last adjourned date fixed further hearing in the case for March 4 this year but the case will now come up on February 14 and has been assigned to Justice Mohammed Mohammad.
However, in a swift reaction, the Director General, Sani Bello/Ketso governorship campaign organisation, Jonathan Vatsa, distanced the Niger State Government, saying: “We have not been involved in this case since it started, we cannot now be involved. We will not allow ourselves to be distracted.
“The PDP should stop chasing shadows, it should not hang its problem on the APC. Our major preoccupation now is the campaign for the reelection of President Muhammad Buhari, Governor Sani Bello and all APC elective members.”
The PDP on Wednesday however described “the latest development as a calculated attempt to pervert the course of Justice.
“The plan is to use the the courts to re-enact, re-start afresh the ongoing trial of Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Umar Nasko, Tanko Beji, and a few other PDP leaders, which has been on since 2016.”
Yahaya Usman also claimed that the Niger State Government had secured the services of a lawyer “with large sums of money” to help the Federal Government prosecute a case in which the Federal Government is the prosecution”.
He added: “With Justice Maiyaki out and a new Judge in, the plan now is to re-arraign/arraign the three and others in the opposition, issue difficult bail conditions even though they are on bail and have never breached it, then they will be detained from that 14th which is a Thursday till the elections which is from the 16th of February and 2nd of March, are over.”
Usman also claimed that the Niger State Government had secured the services of a Lawyer “with large sums of money” to help the Federal Government prosecute a case in which the Federal Government is the prosecutor.
“This is unacceptable and a total clear circumvention of the course of justice, while we call on men of good reason to rise against this plan, we also call on all Nigerlites to stand against injustice, abuse and politicizing of the Judiciary.”