HURIWA Urges Judiciary to Resist Political Manipulation, Endorses Turaki as PDP Chair

HURIWA Urges Judiciary to Resist Political Manipulation, Endorses Turaki as PDP ChairmanThe Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has endorsed former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), as the consensus candidate for the National Chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing him as a patriotic statesman whose integrity, experience, and loyalty position him to lead the party toward unity and national relevance.

Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko
National Coordinator, HURIWA on Thursday, hailed Turaki’s emergence as a beacon of hope for the PDP, which is striving to rebuild itself as a credible democratic alternative.
The rights group noted that his decades-long commitment to the party, deep governance experience, and unwavering character make him uniquely qualified to drive internal renewal and strengthen the opposition.

However, HURIWA expressed deep concern over what it described as growing judicial interference in the internal affairs of political parties, particularly the PDP. The group warned that the courts risk being exploited as instruments of political manipulation by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and certain influential actors within government.

The association cited alleged collusion between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and compromised elements within the PDP, including the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, aimed at destabilizing the party from within. HURIWA further alleged that recent executive actions, such as donations of housing units to judges by the FCT Minister, raise questions about judicial independence and impartiality.

“The independence of the judiciary is under serious threat when senior members of the executive can openly gift privileges to judges while having pending political interests before those courts,” HURIWA stated. The group cautioned that such acts, combined with selective enforcement of justice, undermine public confidence and risk sliding Nigeria toward a one-party system.

HURIWA also highlighted the use of state institutions like the EFCC to intimidate or co-opt opposition leaders as a dangerous precedent that endangers democratic balance. Drawing parallels with the prolonged leadership crisis in the Labour Party, the association emphasized that selective application of judicial rulings fuels public cynicism and undermines the rule of law.

The rights group urged the judiciary to maintain its independence and refrain from being drawn into partisan schemes, reaffirming its role as a neutral arbiter. It called on the Federal High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court to safeguard institutional integrity by resisting executive and political pressures.

In conclusion, HURIWA reiterated its full support for Tanimu Turaki as PDP chairman, describing him as a reform-minded leader capable of rebuilding the party into a credible, disciplined, and people-centered opposition that can hold government accountable. The association warned that unchecked judicial and executive encroachments could permanently distort Nigeria’s democratic process.