Afenifere, the leading sociopolitical organization for Yorubas, has warned people who it claims are using the pretext of free speech to stir up treason and court disobedience to exercise caution.
Comrade Jare Ajayi, national publicity secretary for Afenifere, made the appeal in a statement.
Mr. Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the factional Secretary-General of Ohaneze, attacked what he called the “intimidation of the judiciary” in a statement that was attributed to him. He foreshadowed the ongoing Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
Last Tuesday, August 4, 2023, Ohaneze implied in a press statement that Nigeria would experience a military crisis similar to the one that occurred in the neighboring Niger Republic in July if “the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) judges’ came to an errorneous judgment.
But in reaction, Afenifere asserted that, “everyone knows that the only means of changing government known to law is through the ballot box.”
The organisation maintained that, “This is not just a constitutional provision in Nigeria, it is also the norm in all countries that hold the right of the people to determine, who governs them as sacrosanct.”
Afenifere considered the aspect of Isiguzoro’s statement on FCT status in regard to election results as subjudice in view of the fact that it was one of the key issues before the court.
According to Afenifere, this statement is too weighty not to be challenged because of its far-reaching implications.
“In the first place, the issue of FCT status on which there was already a judicial pronouncement is also one of the issues before the Tribunal presently.
“Secondly, even if a party in a political case considered the judgement of a tribunal or court as ‘erroneous’, the option is not to call for military takeover as the law clearly provides room for me proceeding to the appellate court.
Ajayi explained that Isiguzoro’s position, among other things, contravened Section 133 of the Criminal Code Act in Nigeria.
