Plans To Thwart PEPT Final Judgement In Top Gear – Group Alleges

A group, Face Of Waziri-Nigeria (FOWN), has alleged that plans are in top gear to thwart the final judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT).

The group alleged that President Bola Tinubu, perturbed by how uncertain and unfavourable the PEPT judgment might be, commissioned six political advisers, including former governors.

In a statement, yesterday, FOWN’s Director General, Mr. Bukky Adeniyi, said the six individuals were tasked with meeting the judges to influence the final verdict.

FOWN added that the team also intends to engage traditional and religious leaders, with a view to quelling possible mass protests that may erupt, if the judges affirm Tinubu as President.

Meanwhile, a civil society group, Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), cautioned the legal team representing Tinubu at the election tribunal not to intimidate the judiciary.

The comment came after the final written address of Tinubu and his legal team at the tribunal. Tinubu, through Wole Olanipekun, his counsel, had said the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is the 37th state for electoral purposes, and any other interpretation would “lead to absurdity, chaos, anarchy and alteration of the very intention of the legislature”.

Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, standard bearers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), are challenging Tinubu’s victory in the last election.

The group’s spokesman, Danjuma Musa, said any threat to the judiciary is a threat to the country’s democracy. He said: “COPDEM is in support and advocates the absolute independence and integrity of the judiciary as fundamental to the success of our democracy and for the peace and unity of Nigeria as a nation.

“It is a threat to the judiciary and rule of law for a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to presume and invoke anarchy, if the victory of his client, Bola Tinubu, is judiciously overturned by the PEPT before the whole world.

“The requirement of 25 per cent (of votes) in the FCT is in the Nigerian constitution, not a party constitution. Upholding the provisions of the constitution is a fundamental democratic ideal, while its interpretation and determination for all intents are the sole mandates of the judiciary.

“Notably, such insinuations are threats to the peace and unity of Nigeria and therefore must be condemned and withdrawn.”