Election Tribunal: PDP Accuses APC Of Plot To Compromise Judges

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised an alarm over alleged plots by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to compromise the Judiciary and influence the outcome of petitions challenging the February 25 Presidential election.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, the PDP, which spoke through its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the APC was working at forcefully influencing the outcome of the legal process by taunting the judges against the truth.

PDP, which also called on the international community and all lovers of democracy to keep an eye on the legal challenges to the February 25 heist, further accused APC of subtly blackmailing the Judiciary and prominent citizens who voice out their opinions against how the presidential election was conducted.

It said the APC was gradually stifling public opinion through which Nigerians have held the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accountable for the conduct of the election.

According to PDP, it is evident that APC is jittery about the outcome of the legal challenge to the February 25 Presidential election, adding that resorting to blackmail and subtle cajoling of the Judiciary was calculated to influence judicial decisions on the matter.

PDP further warned that Nigerians would remain awake to their responsibility of ensuring that justice was done to the legal challenge of the presidential election, adding that APC need not be allowed to benefit from the theft and manipulation of votes.

Speaking at the press conference, the PDP said, “Gentlemen of the press, the PDP has invited you this evening to alert Nigerians and the International Community of the shocking revelations, reports and allegations of plots by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to influence the outcome of the Presidential election Petition currently pending before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

“The PDP also alerts of recent intimidation, harassment, threats and vicious attacks by APC leaders against Nigerian youths and eminent Nigerian personalities for speaking out against APC’s planned moves to install a government that does not enjoy the mandate of the majority of Nigerians as expressed at the Polling Units.

“The alleged planned onslaught by APC leaders on eminent Nigerians and our democratic institutions, including the Judiciary, stems from APC’s apprehensions given the weight of evidence against it and the continuing refusal by majority of Nigerians to accept the outcome of the flawed Presidential election.

“There are apprehensions in the public space regarding the reputation of specific individuals within the highest level of the APC who have demonstrated capacity and propensity to compromise democratic institutions in our country.

“It would be recalled that on Friday, May 5, 2023, our Party raised the alarm over the massively condemned comments by the APC Presidential Candidate, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the commissioning of some judiciary projects in Port-Harcourt Rivers State, wherein he attempted to corrupt, cultivate and patronize the Judiciary.

“More alarming are allegations in the public space of attempts by certain APC leaders to compromise the Judiciary with heavy financial inducement and to orchestrate trumped-up allegations of impropriety against judicial officers.

“The PDP calls on the APC and its leaders to immediately come clean and publicly address Nigerians and the world on these disturbing allegations and revelations already in the public domain.

“Further to this is the provocative resort by the APC and its leaders to threaten Nigerians with treason for speaking out against the manipulations of our democratic processes by the APC.

“For emphasis, majority of Nigerians are insisting on the review of the February 25, 2023, Presidential election because it was marred by wide-spread manipulations, open alteration of genuine election results from the Polling Units, allocation of fictitious figures to the APC and brazen violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022 as well as INEC Manual and Guidelines by INEC itself in its declaration of a winner of the election.

“The bizarre response by INEC, an umpire that ought to be independent, to the Petition of the PDP and our Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, requesting the dismissal of our Petition, is further evidence of the conspiracy, corruption and compromise of INEC by the APC.

“It is instructive for INEC and the APC to note that the tribunal hearing is part of the electoral process. The APC and INEC are therefore advised to halt further steps to hinder the ability of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to dispense justice in the matter in accordance with the law.

“The PDP, therefore, restates its call on the Judiciary to resist and insulate itself from the alleged and reported antics of the APC in the discharge of its Constitutional duties as independent and impartial arbiter in the pending Petition before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

“It is imperative to state that the reckless violation by INEC of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, INEC Guidelines and Manual in the 2023 Presidential election portend grave consequences to our democracy and political stability as a country.

“The only way to guarantee peace, unity and stability of our nation is to uphold the Will of the people as expressed at the Polling Units in the February 25, 2023, Presidential election, and the PDP is confident in the ability of the Judiciary to discharge its Constitutional duties in this regard independently.”