The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) declares the verdict of the River
state governorship election tribunal sitting in Abuja, which showed
clear bias against Governor Nyesom Wike and the PDP, as completely
bizarre, unacceptable and part of the script by the APC to manipulate
the will of the people.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement on
Saturday said indications to this spurious judgment had months ago been
hinted to the PDP, which in turn, alerted the nation and the
international community of the heinous plot by the APC government, to
use the judiciary and various security agencies to reverse the victory
of the PDP in Rivers, Delta, Akwa-Ibom, Taraba and Abia states.
“We invite Nigerians and the international community to recall various
reprehensible steps taken by the APC government that culminated in this
ruling as well as the ridiculous Wednesday’s verdict of the Akwa-Ibom
state governorship election tribunal, also sitting in Abuja.
1. The curious and controversial relocation of the elections tribunals
from their states to Abuja without any justification.
2. The constant juggling of judicial officers and members of
governorship elections tribunal in PDP states, especially, Rivers and
Akwa-Ibom states.
3. Constant harassment of judicial and electoral officers involved in
the governorship election cases in these state, using agencies of
government, particularly, the Directorate of State Services (DSS) under
the direct command of a known APC member, Alhaji Lawal Daura.
4. Constant threats, intimidation and coercing of witnesses against the
PDP in the tribunals.
5. The recent mass transfer of security operatives, especially the DSS
and police personnel that actually participated in the conduct of the
elections in Rivers and Akwa-Ibom, ostensibly to frustrate the course of
genuine evidences in the process.
“The bias in the judgment against the PDP in Rivers as well as Akwa-Ibom
is evidenced in the contradictions inherent in the trial process of the
two cases and the verdicts therein, whereby the tribunals clearly
disregarded standing legal norm that a petitioner must establish prove
of claims.
“Also curious is the fact that after both the petitioner and respondent
agreed before the tribunal that both card reader and manual
accreditations were used for the election, the tribunal still went ahead
to base its decision on issues of card reader.
While it is convenient to them to use legal technicalities to deny PDP
victory in Imo, Lagos, Ogun and Yobe states, the same rules are
misapplied to wickedly favour APC petitioners in Rivers and Akwa-Ibom
states.
“It is therefore evinced that these contradictions are direct fall-out
of compromises as well as boasts by the APC of being in direct and
remote control of the tribunals. If not, how can one explain the fact
that while governorship elections are being upturned in PDP states, in
APC states, where similar claims and facts are in contention, elections
are being upheld.
“Further proof of bias by the Rivers tribunal is the fact that less than
24 hours after various counsels submitted nine written addresses and
documents, the tribunal rushed its notice of judgment, an action
ostensibly aimed at ambushing the pending Supreme Court action on the
issue of jurisdiction regarding the relocation of the tribunal outside
River state, which was due to be delivered on Tuesday.
“This is not withstanding the fact that the tribunal has up to seven
days after of receipt of addresses, to deliver its judgment, but chose
instead, to rush to deliver this spurious verdict even on a Saturday, a
development eliciting suspicion that the judgment may have since been
predetermined and written even before the commencement of the case.
“The PDP calls on all Nigerians and the international community to note
this growing manipulation of the judiciary by the APC government, a
factor which portends great danger to our democracy and the stability of
our country.
“Nigerians would want to recall that under the PDP-led government with
former President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment to the tenets of
democracy as encapsulated in the safeguard of ‘one man one vote’ and the
independence of the judiciary, the PDP conceded electoral defeat in Edo,
Anambra, and Imo states without attempting to collect victory through
executive manipulation of the judicial process.
“The PDP restates unequivocally that this judgments must not stand in
view of the prevailing inherent contradictions, in addition to the huge
threat they portend to our democracy and national stability.
“Finally, the PDP charges all lovers of democracy, particularly our
members in Rivers and Akwa-Ibom state not to be daunted, as these
judgments will not stand the test of the law and the will of the people.
We therefore reassure that the PDP will do all within the ambit of the
law to resist this criminal attempt by the APC to steal and thwart the
will of the people.
Signed:
Chief Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary
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