Tribunal judgment: APC, Tinubu lawyers cautioned against ‘intimidation’

The Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), has warned lawyers representing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu at the ongoing Presidential Election Tribunal (PEPT), to desist from intimidating the judges and the judiciary as a whole.

The warning is coming 48 hours after the PEPT reserved its judgment on the petition filed by Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi against the declaration of the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu as the winner of February 25, election.

Tinubu’s lawyers through the lead counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) in their final written address to the tribunal, had said the FCT is the 37th state for electoral purposes and any other interpretation would “Lead to chaos, anarchy and alteration of the very intention of the legislature”.

But addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, COPDEM said the submission of Chief Olanipekun at the tribunal was a threat to the judiciary and democracy.

• Kano anti-graft agency arrests ‘principal suspect’ in N4.3bn fraud
• DisCos’ revenue dip as foreign companies fail to pay $16.11m power debt in Q1

The group’s spokesperson, Danjuma Garba Musa, contended that Olanipekun’s submission was capable of intimidating the justices of the Appeal Court handling the case.

COPDEM therefore asked President Tinubu to disown and immediately dissociate himself from such anti-democratic aberrations if he was not party to it.

The group said: “The threat to the judiciary and the rule of law is a major concern in addition to the increasing public outcry over the high handed removal of subsidy that has plunged more Nigerians into poverty.

“Any threat to the judiciary is a threat to democracy, COPDEM believes in the rule of law and justice. Justice is the ultimate pillar of any democracy; it must be done and be seen to be done.

“COPDEM is in support and advocates for the absolute independence and integrity of the judiciary as fundamental to the success of our democracy and for the peace and unity of Nigeria as a nation.

“It is a threat to the judiciary and rule of law for a senior advocate of Nigeria to presume and invoke anarchy in Nigeria if the victory of his client Bola Tinubu is overturned by the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) before the whole world.”