The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to probe the claim by leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the party has persons in the judiciary, particularly at the Appeal and Supreme Court levels to do its bidding on election cases before the courts.
PDP in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, pointed at a viral video where a member of the House of Representatives Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, from Plateau State was allegedly boasting that “We (APC) have gone to Appeal Court and the final destination is the Supreme Court and we will meet there. That is where we will know whom they know and they will know whom we know.”
The party said such statement confirmed the suspicion in the public domain that “the APC has set up a special team comprising of two former governors of the APC who are also serving cabinet ministers and a prominent APC leader from the North East zone with the mandate to ensure the inducement of certain judicial officers to deliver judgements against the PDP as being witnessed in the series of bias judgements by the Plateau State Election Appeal Court panel.
“This statement by Hon. Gagdi also lends credence to allegations that a former governor of the APC reportedly induced members of the Plateau State Election Appeal Court lanel with the sum of $5 million to deliver a bias judgement against Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s victory at the poll contrary to the position of the law on nomination of candidates, and already established pronouncement of the Supreme Court that a political party cannot interfere in the internal affairs of another party.
“Hon. Gagdi’s declaration perhaps explains why the Plateau State Election Appeal Court panel snatched the victories won by PDP candidates in the National Assembly elections in the state and awarded same to defeated APC candidates in varying, contradictory and conflicting judgements in appeals with the same subject matter, same facts, same circumstances and same applicable laws.”
The party expressed surprise that the Plateau State Election Appeal Court panel, which has been accused of bias with call for its disbandment, is the only panel dedicated to all election appeals from Plateau State, which it said, is contrary to practice.
According to the party, the conduct of the Plateau State Election Appeal Court panel and the boasting of the APC is eroding integrity, potency and confidence of Nigerians.
The party warned the CJN that integrity of the nation’s judiciary is at stake, adding that “the loss of public confidence being generated by this claim has the capacity to push Nigerians to resort to self-help which is a recipe for anarchy, chaos and breakdown of law and order in our country.”
PDP said the outcome of the appeals decided by the Plateau State Election Appeal Court panel is generating serious tension in Plateau State as the citizens are already taking to the streets in protest.
It expressed concern that the situation is capable of escalating into a full-blown crisis in Plateau and other states of if not immediately addressed.
PDP stated that the judiciary remains the last line of defence for the nation’s democracy and political stability, and demanded that the CJN, as the head of the judiciary should set up a high-powered panel to probe the claims by the APC of having persons in both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court as well as investigate the bribery allegations against the Plateau State Election Appeal Court panel.
“What Nigerians expect at this moment is for the judiciary to come clean on these grave allegations as well as uphold the primacy of pronouncements by the Supreme Court in the dispensation of justice on election matters,” the party added.