Bribery allegation: Take me to court, sacked senator challenges critics

Senator Elisha Abbo has challenged his critics to institute legal action against him on his claim that some judges and justices engaged in bribery during electoral litigation.

Abbo represented Adamawa North Senatorial District in the 9th and 10th Senate before he was sacked from the parliament by the Court of Appeal last October.

The former lawmaker had claimed that the election was unjustly cancelled at polling units where he won the majority of votes and accused justices of collecting bribe to pervert the course of justice.

His bribery claim drew strong criticism from some lawyers, including a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Akwa Ibom State, Uwemedimo Nwoko (SAN), who asked him to apologise for raising such a “weighty allegation” against the judicial officers or face legal action.

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But Abbo, at a press briefing on Monday in Abuja, challenged his critics to sue him, saying he has evidence to back up his bribery claim.

“Take me to court. If you don’t, I will sue you for libel. I’m not afraid of going to court. I can’t be intimidated. I’m known for being bold, brave, and standing up to speak the truth,” he said.

Abbo said while he’s awaiting action on his petition to the National Judicial Council against some justices, he had petitioned the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union seeking visa ban on corrupt justices.

He said the “War against corruption in Nigeria must be taken to the judiciary where some judges and justices are carrying out judicial banditry or coup against democracy through unjustifiable nullification of elections of people validly voted for by the Nigerian electorate.

“Such judicial banditry must be fought in and outside the country by calling for a visa ban on the affected judges and justices, and even revocation of visas of their family members already resident abroad.”