Election Tribunal: PDP decries attempt by APC to arm-twist judiciary

Fear of losing senators to the Election Petitions Tribunals is gripping the Peoples Democratic Party.

The party  described as an invitation to anarchy and dangerous to democracy, an alleged moves by the governing party, the  All Progressives Congress leaders to arm-twist the judiciary to use various election tribunals to upturn democratically elected governments in some PDP states.

Olisah Metuh

The PDP vowed to stoutly resist such.

The party also alleged that the APC had already started hounding PDP senators-elect, threatening to use its newly acquired federal influence to coax the tribunals against them if they fail to do its bidding in the ongoing politicking to raise new leadership in the Senate.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said the party was privy to intelligence reports showing certain clandestine moves and nocturnal meetings in Lagos and Abuja on how to compromise the sanctity of the electoral tribunals in their compositions and locations to suit the APC purpose.

He said, “We are aware that there are moves by the APC to cause the doctoring of the membership of the governorship election tribunals in some PDP states, particularly Akwa-Ibom, Abia, Rivers and Delta with the aim to bring in friendly officers, possibly to push through their agenda against our great party.

“Also we question the so-called security reasons adduced for the decision to relocate the Akwa-Ibom State Governorship, National and State Assembly election petitions tribunals out of the state and wonder why Akwa-Ibom is singled out.

“Nigerians and the international community will recall that we had earlier alerted of furtive moves by the APC to procure and compromise some stakeholders in the elections, including INEC and security personnel, to bear false witness and doctor electoral materials against the PDP at the tribunals.”

Metuh added that in the same vein, the PDP had earlier alerted of a groundswell of plots by the APC to foist a one party rule on the country by allegedly attempting to destabilise the PDP “take over some of our states and legislative seats, all to ensure that there is no strong opposition when they eventually assume power.”

He said, “It is apparently in line with this heinous agenda that the APC has started hounding our senators-elect with threats to use the tribunals against them if they fail to do their bidding in the parliament.”

Metuh lamented that what he described as ‘jackboot mentality’ and rape of the democracy, which he noted was averse to the spirit of the healing process, was happening with the knowledge of President Muhammadu Buhari, who he said remained the direct beneficiary of the “huge sacrifice” the PDP made to ensure that the nation remains peaceful and stable.

He said his party would want Buhari to note that “the plot by his party to alter the will of the people and unlawfully take over states genuinely won by the PDP is obviously an invitation to anarchy, capable of truncating our hard-earned democracy as it would be stiffly resisted by the people.

The PDP spokesman stated, “We invite the international community and lovers of democracy worldwide to note the ugly developments and hold the APC responsible should there be any breakdown of law and order in the polity.

“The PDP wishes to restate in the strongest possible terms that we are not vanquished and will therefore resist these plots with all the energy and force availed by the law.”

Election Tribunal: PDP decries attempt by APC to arm-twist judiciary