The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party has told the Chief Justice of Nigeria Kayode Ariwoola not to include himself in the panel of Supreme Court justices that will hear the appeal against the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, PEPT.
The PEPT penultimate Wednesday upheld the victory of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress at the February 25, 2023 election.
Both the PDP and the Labour Party have vowed to appeal the judgement at the Supreme Court.
Deputy National Youth Leader of the PDP, Timothy Osadolor, has advised the Chief Justice of Nigeria to abstain from participating in the Supreme Court panel that is set to review the PEPC judgment.
This suggestion follows the CJN’s endorsement of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde’s membership in the G-5 group, which comprises of certain disenchanted governors who opposed Iyorchia Ayu’s chairmanship of the PDP after Atiku emerged as the party’s candidate.
In November 2022, Justice Ariwoola had commended Makinde’s participation in the group during a banquet organized by the Rivers State Government to honor the then Governor, Nyesom Wike. However, this move was criticized by the National Working Committee of the PDP at the time.
“That is why we should not be scared to have these men of the integrity group. I am happy that my own Governor (Makinde) is among them because he would try to imitate his friend and in-law because we came here to marry for my Governor.
“So, Governor Wike will always threaten that he will call back his sister if my Governor fails to play ball. That is why you see him following His Excellency (Wike) because my Governor is afraid of his wife being recalled,” the CJN said in 2022.
Speaking exclusively with Saturday PUNCH, Osadolor said, “I would expect the CJN after the gaffe wherein he exposed his partisan self with his declaration of support for the then G-5 when he got too excited, to recuse himself from any panel that is constituted for political reasons, particularly one as sensitive and important as the one to look into the PEPC judgment that is contentious and vexatious for a wide range of reasons.
“He should not do anything to taint the image of our judiciary further. The whole world is watching and he of all people should know better that his membership of the panel would raise several questions.”
As of the time of filing this report, neither of the two official spokespersons of the party, Debo Ologunagba and Ibrahim Abdullahi, was ready for comment.
On his part, Atiku’s Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, promised to reach out to one of our correspondents “after getting legal advice.”
