The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) have cautioned President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to desist from intimidating the judiciary and issuing threats of violence.
Tinubu had asked the election tribunal to dismiss the petition seeking to nullify his election on the grounds that he did not secure 25 per cent of lawful votes cast in the federal capital territory (FCT).
Tinubu, who contested the February 28 presidential election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Tinubu secured a total of 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who had the second-highest figure of 6,984,520 votes, while Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) came third with 6,101,533 votes.
However, Atiku and Obi approached the tribunal seeking to upturn Tinubu’s victory.
The petitioners, among other grounds, said Tinubu failed to secure at least 25 per cent of votes cast in the FCT.
Tinubu, through his counsel, Mr Wole Olanipekun, had in a final written address to the presidential election petition court declared that misinterpreting the law as provided for in the constitution on the 25 per cent of lawful votes cast in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, could “lead to absurdity, chaos, anarchy and alteration of the very intention of the legislature.”
Tinubu also told the court that the two petitions filed by Atiku and Obi seeking the nullification of his victory were not only novel but not familiar with the country’s electoral laws.
Reacting to the threat, the PDP said Tinubu and the APC were trying to intimidate the judiciary and trigger crises in the country.
In a statement by its spokesman, Mr Debo Ologunagba, the PDP said the threat of a crisis and anarchy by the president is not only subversive but an affront to democratic order and an assault on the corporate existence of the nation.
“It is alarming and disturbing that the APC externalized to the public, their final written address in which they also threatened national peace if the court upholds the clear provisions of section 134 of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) with regard to the mandatory and statutory requirements for which a candidate in a presidential election can be declared winner.
“The threats, either through counsel or officials of the APC are calculated to intimidate and harass the judiciary and indeed Nigerians.
“The PDP holds that the clear intent of the APC is to blackmail the court and emasculate the independence of the judiciary to discharge its duties in accordance with the dictates of the law.
“This action is ostensibly to set the stage to orchestrate violent crisis in various parts of the country with the intention to further blackmail the PEPC.
“We ask why is the APC externalizing their final written address to the public? Is the APC being pre-emptive and now seeks to heighten tension, subvert the judicial process and trigger anarchy, having realized the weakness of their case before the PEPC?
“The PDP however cautions and emphasizes that Nigeria is a country of rule of law. The statutory requirements for a winner in a presidential election as provided by the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the electoral act, 2022 are clear and unambiguous.
“Contrary to the doomsday claims of the APC and its lawyers, upholding the provisions of the constitution and the laws at this point will rather promote peace and stability in the polity, deepen our democracy and engender confidence in the institution of the judiciary,” the party said in the statement.
It called on Nigerians to remain calm, alert and hopeful in the ability of the judiciary to dispense justice accordingly.
In its reaction, the LP told the president that there would be no anarchy when he is ousted by the court.
LP in a statement by its spokesman, Mr Obiora Ifoh, said Tinubu’s comment was unnecessary since the matter is before the court.
The party said the APC must be cautious in its approach to the matter which is still in court, noting that no amount of pressure on the judges in the tribunal can change the processes and requirements that the law has put in place.
“We are worried that the statement which formed part of his submissions and was contained in his final written address against the Labour Party’s petition pending at the PREPEC, and meant to be in the exclusive custody of the court was leaked to the media.
“We still do not know the reason behind this act of desperation, even when the matter is still pending in court. We will however be careful not to term the action as sub-judice.
“Having said that, the Labour Party thinks that the statement was unnecessary since the matter is already before the court, and going ahead to pontificate on it could be construed as interference in the duties and responsibilities of the judiciary.
“The truth of the matter is that there are no sentiments when it comes to matters of law. The law is the law and once the law has stipulated the manner and how a matter must be carried out, it must follow that pattern.
“If the law has stated the requirement that a presidential candidate must meet before he can be declared, there is no shortcut to it.
“Therefore, if the constitution which is the grundnorm of the law in Nigeria has stated clearly that you must score at least 25 per cent in FCT before the president can be declared, anything short of that cannot remedy it.
“We insist that no amount of threat from the APC on the judges in the tribunal can change the processes and requirements that the law has put in place. It must be followed and that is the position of the Labour Party.
“Let me assure the APC and their leaders that if there were no absurdity, chaos, and anarchy when they forced their way into power, Nigeria will still witness peace when they are eventually evicted from power,” the party said.
