Agagu Plans to Bribe Judiciary, LP Tells Yar'Adua
The Ondo State Labour Party (LP) yesterday cried out to President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi to urgently nip in the bud the alleged plans by Dr Olusegun Agagu to compromise the Judiciary in an attempt to secure a favourable verdict at the Appeal Court, Benin. Specifically, the LP wants the duo to show personal interest in the case following Agagu's vaunted boast that he has been assured of victory by the powers that be in his appeal against the Justice Garba Nabaruma led Election Petitions Tribunal at the Appeal Court coming up very soon.

The Tribunal had on July 25, 2008 nullified Agagu's election as the governor of Ondo State and subsequently declared Dr Olusegun Mimiko of the LP as the duly elected Governor of Ondo State in the April 14, 2007 election, a judgement which Agagu has appealed at the appellate court. LP, in a release issued by its spokesman, Mr. Kolawole Olabisi in Akure, disclosed that such bragging by Dr Agagu and his officials in the public speaks volumes and portends grave danger to the nation if later proven to be true.

It equally warned that the people of Ondo State will not accept an impostor as their leader any longer. According to LP, Agagu's boast that he had compromised the Judiciary "was again repeated to members of his caucus on Saturday at the monthly caucus meeting held inside the Government House, Alagbaka where there was wild jubilation when they were told that a large chunk of the N5bn earmarked for the job had been spent and that assurances had been given as far as the Appeal matter was concerned."

To LP, this was a confirmation of the obvious fact that Agagu who has been away most of the time to Abuja, Benin, Ota, Abeokuta and Lagos while governance suffered has indeed made efforts to compromise the Judiciary. "We are thus calling on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Legbo Kutugi to kindly use his good offices to help foil this dastardly act of deliberate attempt to subvert justice and rape the people's mandate all over again. The Judiciary being the last hope of the masses in Nigeria has proven its mettle and it must not be tainted by Agagu and his ilk.

"And for the umpteenth time, we want to appeal to Mr. President, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, a man noted for his firm belief in the Rule of Law, to kindly call Olusegun Agagu to order as a matter of urgency. Agagu must not be allowed to compromise the Judiciary for his selfish interest in the overall interest of the nation. While reaffirming its unshakable confidence in the Judiciary, the Labour Party in Ondo State however stated that in view of this latest development, the whole world should be abreast of the latest development in the arsenal of Agagu.

Ayodeji Abimbola, Akure


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