ACN, TINUBU TERRORISING NIGERIA JUDICIARY – EKITI PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has accused the
Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its financier, Senator Bola
Tinubu of perpetrating “Media Terrorism” against the judiciary, in
particular and Nigeria in general, demanding that the party's
spokesperson, Alhaji Lai Mohammed be made to explain how the ACN
normally gets access to yet-to-be-delivered tribunal judgments.
Addressing a press conference in Ado-Ekiti today, State Chairman of
the PDP, Chief Bola Olu-Ojo said the ACN's allegation that the PDP was
making moves to arrest the Appeal Court, Ilorin's judgment on the
appeal filed by the ACN against the Ekiti State Rerun Governorship
Election Petitions Tribunal Judgement of May 5, 2010 suggested that
the party has already seen the yet-to-be-delivered judgment.
Olu-Ojo, who accused the ACN of always having a fore-knowledge of
tribunal judgments, said; “If they have not been handed or promised a
favourable verdict, how come the ACN people are talking about
“arresting” the judgment?”
He said from the SAHARA REPORTERS' story as echoed by the ACN, the PDP
was beginning to believe that the ACN must be privy to certain
information about the impending judgment.
“It should be recalled that immediately after the Justice Hamman
Barka-led tribunal delivered its judgment, the ACN propagandists
published a report, using the same SAHARA REPORTERS, insinuating that
the three judges that gave the majority judgment were accused of
receiving N3 billion bribe from the Ekiti State government. Funny
enough, they went to the most ridiculous and bizarre level of saying
that the N3 billion was changed to dollars at OGERE TOLL GATE!
“Then, we alerted the public on this well conceived sinister plot of
the ACN people to blackmail the judiciary ahead of the Appeal case. We
said then that at a meeting held on Thursday, May 14, 2010, Tinubu
boasted that he will influence the composition of the Appeal Court
panel members, submitting that “he had finalized that with the
authority concerned.”
“Today, it is obvious that that assurance from Tinubu is the reason
the ACN people in Ekiti State have been boasting that “favourable
judgment for them at the Appeal Court is a done deal.” It is being
said in the ACN camp that four of the justices will give judgment in
favour of the party while only ONE will rule in favour of PDP.
“Again, it might also not be out of place to believe that it is for
this reason that no one has shown interest in the ACN governorship
ticket even when INEC has said that governorship election will hold in
Ekiti next year.
“Furthermore, it must be on the basis of the assurance that
preparations are now being made for the swearing-in ceremony of
Fayemi. We are aware that four different types of Aso-Ebis (uniform)
have been bought and souvenirs are being produced as it was done by
the ACN governorship candidate in Osun State, Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola
when the Appeal Court judgment on his petition against Governor
Olagunsoye Oyinlola was to be delivered. Fayemi even had a so-called
“pre-inauguration” party in his hometown, Isan-Ekiti at the weekend.
“In spite of all these however, we have refrained ourselves from
embarking on any act capable of rubbishing our revered judiciary. This
is because as against the ACN, which opted to prosecute its case on
the pages of newspapers, we presented our case in the most cogent and
logical manner.
“Again, unlike the ACN, we are not in the business of dragging the
judiciary into the mud even when it rules against us. We demonstrated
this when the Appeal Court ruled against us on February 17, 2009 by
preparing for the rerun election ordered by the court instead of
castigating the judges.
While commenting on the Sokoto Appeal saga mentioned by the ACN,
Olu-Ojo said; “Questions must be asked as to why was Tinubu constantly
mentioned in Dahiru's affidavit. Interestingly, Tinubu never denied
that he met Senator Dahiru. He (Tinubu) even stated in his response to
Senator Dahiru's allegations that; “Senator Dahiru approached me in
Abuja, to intervene on his behalf, with Justice Ayo Salami over the
Sokoto Gubernatorial case before the Court of Appeal. He said he was
counting on my goodwill because he believed Justice Salami was my
friend, since we both came from Lagos.”
He called Nigerians to prevail on the ACN and its agents to desist
from unleashing media terrorism on the judiciary whenever they get
unfavourable judgments.
“Roles of former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu in
the Sokoto Appeal saga and other places should be investigated
forthwith by the National Judicial Council (NJC) and relevant security
agencies to protect the integrity and image of the judiciary.
“Relevant authorities in the country and lovers of this nation should
also prevail on the ACN and its ilk to stop this MEDIA TERRORISM
against constituted authorities, especially the Judiciary,” Olu-Ojo
said.