Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the February 25, 2023 general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has raised the alarm over what he described as a sinister plot to undermine the Nigerian judiciary as well as democracy
All Progressives Congress (APC) fired back, last night, describing the alarm as arrant nonsense.
President Bola Tinubu also responded, advising Atiku to allow the judiciary to carry out its duty without harassment.
Atiku raised the alarm in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, in Abuja yesterday.
He explained that since the conclusion of the presidential election in February and the attendant controversies in its trail, there have been unfortunate developments that are saddening to many Nigerians.
According to him, it was needless to say that the election that brought the current government into office is the worst in the annals of democratic politics in our country, even though it was promised to be the best ever.
He said, “Consequently, the outcome of that election and the arbitrariness of the electoral umpire to declare a winner against the requirement of the law has been the reason Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and other parties in the election have chosen the patriotic path to challenge the outcome of that election.
“It is a truism that the judiciary is the only reasonable option in the quest for justice. As a matter of fact, our judiciary and the interpretations that they have given to our laws have been a major building block in our democratic journey so far.
“Our laws are very clear about the prerequisite of separation of powers as a guarantee of an independent judiciary.
“The idea behind that concept of an independent judiciary is to insulate that branch of government from unholy fraternity between its hallowed members and the rest of the society – especially the political actors.
“But as proceedings on the controversial February 25 election continues at the court, there have been threats from the ruling party that aim to intimidate the judiciary from serving the duty of justice.
It is regrettable that the APC and, indeed, agents of President Bola Tinubu have ceaselessly chosen to stand in the way of justice by making catastrophic threats to anarchy if justice is not served according to their whims.
These and reports in the media about some heinous plots to harass justices sitting on the petition are ominous to peace and the security of our nation.”
But APC said last night that Atiku and the PDP were merely looking for an alibi to cover their expected failure at the tribunal.
A statement by the APC spokesman, Felix Morka, read: “Quite frankly, there is nothing in Atiku Abubakar’s statement that is worth a reaction from the APC. It is just arrant nonsense, totally lacking in substance and cogency. Its only imaginable purpose is a childish attempt to float an alibi to deflect the shame of a highly probable defeat in court, having miserably failed to make out a credible case to justify his bogus claim that he won the last Presidential Election.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and our party won the election convincingly. We have full faith and confidence in our courts to dispense electoral justice in accordance with our Constitution and all applicable laws”.
In his reaction also last night, Tinubu said Atiku attempting to discredit an important institution of state for selfish political end is disingenuous, shameful and unbecoming of a former Vice President of Nigeria.
The President, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communications & Strategy, Mr. Dele Alake, in a statement, advised the PDP presidential candidate to stop his alleged desperation.
He said, “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 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.
“In the ill-thought-out and illogical statement, Alhaji Atiku accused the current administration of the governing APC of plotting to undermine the judiciary without providing any shred of evidence.”
Vanguard