NGO Raises Alarm Over Pressure on Two Presidential Tribunal Justices to Resign
A Nigerian Non-Governmental Organisation, Face Of Waziri-Nigeria (FOWN), has expressed concern over alleged attempts to force at least two Justices of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) to resign. According to FOWN, this move is aimed at disrupting the judicial panel’s proceedings.
In a statement by the group’s Director-General, Bukky Adeniyi, raised the alarm, pointing out that the pressure for resignation is an attempt to exploit legal provisions for replacement and retrieval. Such a delay tactic would cause the case to become statute barred and ineffective, as stipulated by the Supreme Court.
FOWN claims that President Bola Tinubu is allegedly involved in a clandestine effort to coerce the justices into resigning. The objective appears to be to extend the 180-day timeframe for concluding the case before the panel. If successful, this would render the matter beyond the constitutional time limit and bring it to an end, as the Supreme Court cannot extend the time further.
The group also questions the legitimacy of using past financial transactions between the justices and a governor from the South-South region, now aligned with the APC, as a means to intimidate and influence the tribunal’s judgment.
FOWN further criticize the recent move by the counsel for the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar. Abubakar’s counsel requested a subpoena to ascertain the authenticity of documents relating to Tinubu’s attendance at Chicago State University. The NGO believes that this move is irrelevant to the ongoing tribunal matter and raises questions about the true intention behind it.
In conclusion, FOWN is sounding the alarm on potential attempts to interfere with the integrity of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal by pressuring justices to resign and seeking irrelevant subpoenas. The organization urges that the judicial process remains fair, transparent, and uninfluenced by external pressures.