PDP Asks Buhari To Stop Blackmailing Judiciary

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned in strong terms statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari on his alleged attack on Judiciary in Nigeria.
The PDP said the remarks by President Buhari amounted to a ploy to blackmail the Judiciary and in the process influence courts’ decision on cases pending at different election tribunals in the country.
The Acting National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus said this during the inauguration of the Caretaker Committee of Imo state chapter of PDP.
President Buhari had in a statement weekend descended on the Judiciary, which he described as a major headache in the battle by his government to fight corruption.
However, Secondus described Buhari’s remarks as a direct affront on the statutorily guaranteed independence of the judiciary.
It expressed worries that Buhari even went as far as alluding to Court Judgments on his cases years back to make comparison, more so as the cases had long been settled at the level of the Supreme Court.
The Acting Chairman urged the judiciary, which he described as the last hope of the common man, to continue to assert its independence and not allow itself to be deterred from upholding justice and the rule of law, no matter the pressure.
He said, “While we express worries on the attacks on the judicial arm of government, we are aware that they are intended to blackmail and stampede the judiciary to deliver judgments against the PDP in various pending cases involving our party and some of our leaders in the courts.
“We urge the judiciary to ensure that it adequately guards its flanks from all external influences. We also caution the executive to focus on governance, while respecting the constitutionally guaranteed principle of separation of powers by allowing the judiciary and the legislature indeed, all statutory arms of government to freely operate within the bounds provided by our laws.
“Finally, the PDP wishes to call on critical stakeholders to appreciate the fact that the Judiciary, in its nature as an arbiter, cannot join issues with the other arms, and such needs to be defended from the brazen blackmail by the APC-led Government”
The chairman charged the inaugurated committee to be fair, just and balanced while accommodating every interest and restore Imo PDP to winning ways, especially as APC government in the state has failed woefully.