By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has restated its call on the Judiciary to resist and insulate itself from the reported antics of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the discharge of its constitutional duties as independent and impartial arbiter in the pending Petition before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
The party made the call at a press conference addressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba in Abuja yesterday.
The leading opposition party hinged it’s call on what it called 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 called on the APC and its leaders to immediately come clean and publicly address Nigerians and the world on these disturbing allegations and revelations which are already in the public domain.
The party equally raised the alarm over intimidation, harassment, threats and vicious attacks by APC leaders against Nigerian youths and eminent Nigerian personalities for speaking out against its planned moves to install a government that does not enjoy the mandate of majority of Nigerians as expressed at the Polling Units.
According to Ologunagba, “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 as well as the continuing refusal by majority of Nigerians to accept the outcome of the flawed Presidential election.
“There are apprehensions in the public space, having regards to the reputation of certain individuals within the highest level of the APC, who have demonstrated capacity and proclivity to compromise democratic institutions in our country”, it said.
Continuing, the PDP said, “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”, it stressed
