Amid claims of PEPT judges’ harassment, Tinubu, APC deny plot

Amid allegations by opposition political parties in the country, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) of plots by the ruling party and security agencies to threaten and intimidate the judges of the Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal (PEPT), the Presidency and the All progressives Congress (APC) have separately denied any hand in the allegation.

Both opposition parties with petitions filed at the PEPT and the ruling APC, its candidates, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having already submitted their written addresses, which many consider as falling short of proving their cases before the court, the petitioners are now expected to file their responses before the end of this week.

PDP and LP are challenging the decision by INEC to declare now President Bola Tinubu as winner of the February 25 election based on electoral and constitutional breaches which they accused the electoral umpire of deliberately overlooking in announcing candidate of the APC, Tinubu as president-elect on March 1, 2023.

Further, in his final written address before the court, last Friday, Tinubu through his lead counsel, Mr Wole Olanipekun SAN, reportedly threatened ‘chaos and anarchy’ across the country should the judges fail to properly interpret the law on the 25 per cent Federal Capital Territory (FCT) total votes cast requirement.

On Saturday, the presidential candidate of the PDP in the February 25, 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, berated the Bola Tinubu government over claims of threatening the judges of the PEPT and the judiciary in general to deliver judgement in its favour, alleging further that over the years, judges’ decisions have been swayed by erroneous accusations of corruption leveled against them.

The former vice president even claimed that ‘the illustrious Justice Sylvester Ngwuta passed away in his office as a result of the shame associated with being called a corrupt judge.’

Atiku, in a statement signed by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Saturday, contended that the 2023 Presidential Election Petition could follow the same practice of influencing judges to obtain favorable rulings.

”The APC has over the years built a reputation of Judiciary intimidation. They accused about 10 Judges of Corruption, stormed their homes and got them suspended, and yet could not convict a single one of them. Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court ended up dying in office because of embarrassment.

“Now, they have initiated a new plot this time around, they want to intimidate the judges into delivering favorable judgments for them at the election tribunal. We draw the attention of the International community and indeed, Nigerians to this plot to steal the mandate of over 200 million people,” Atiku said.

Similarly, the Labour Party had earlier in the month raised the alarm that judges of the PEPT were subject of intimidation by the Department of State Security (DSS) who it claimed were using unprofessional tactics aimed at intimidating and blackmailing the judges into delivering favouring ruling at the PEPT.

Meanwhile, reacting to the allegations, the Presidency described Atiku’s statement as ‘mere blackmail against President Bola Tinubu and the judiciary,’ adding that it was also ‘false and misleading,’ as it denied any hand in any plot to subvert justice at the PEPT.

Responding in a statement, Sunday, Presidential Spokesman, Mr Dele Alake said, ‘President Tinubu and the APC absolutely have no reason to undermine the judiciary in the hope of any favourable judgement.’

Reacting to a press statement issued by the former Vice President who was also the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Presidential Spokesman Dele Alake, said Atiku’s claims were false and misleading.

“We have read the laughable and jejune statement by former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Candidate in the last election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. 

 “It is obvious that having been thoroughly defeated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and now President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the former Vice President has not fully recovered from the shock of defeat, hence the current attempt to mischievously rake up another round of inanities that offend basic logic and rational thinking. 

“He shamelessly resorted to this cheap attempt to intimidate and blackmail the Judiciary even when he is party to a case before the Presidential Election Petition Court,” he added.

The Presidential aide said President Bola Tinubu is a defender of democracy and Rule of Law, adding that the President’s experience in politics will always count.

“Let it be said that when it comes to matters of fighting for democracy and democratic ideals, rule of law and independence of Judiciary in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu stands shoulder above Atiku Abubakar.

According to Alake, Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election in the most transparent manner; thus, he will not interfere with the ongoing judicial process.

“President Tinubu won a free, fair and credible election. The February 25, 2023 Presidential election that produced him is the most transparent election ever conducted in Nigeria since 1999. 

“President Tinubu and the APC absolutely have no reason to undermine the judiciary in the hope of any favourable judgement.

 “His lawyers and that of APC have presented very solid defence of the result of the election and we are sure the judiciary will impartially deliver its ruling on the basis of points of law and evidence before it, not based on presumptuous speculations and unfounded accusations. 

 “Atiku Abubakar should be honourable enough as a statesman to allow the Judiciary perform its sacred duty without harassment and this resort to self-help. Attempting to discredit an important institution of State for selfish political end is disingenuous, shameful and unbecoming of a former Vice President of Nigeria. This desperation must stop,” Alake concluded.

Meanwhile, the APC also dismissed Atiku’s allegation as ‘wild, hollow and mischievous.’

APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, in a statement, Saturday in Abuja, said Atiku and his party offered no evidence to support their allegations that the Feb. 25 presidential election was characterised by irregularities.

“Our attention has been drawn to a press statement by a media aide to Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the PDP.

“The statement alleges that the APC and its government are engaged in a plot to intimidate members of the judiciary towards unduly influencing the outcome of pending cases before the court.

“Atiku Abubakar and his minions offered no evidence to support their wild, hollow and mischievous allegations.

“Quite frankly, there is nothing in Abubakar’s statement, that is worth a reaction from the APC,” Morka said.