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Atiku, Tinubu ‘fight dirty’ over alleged plot to undermine judiciary
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and President Bola Tinubu are locked in a war of words over an alleged plot to manipulate the ongoing electoral dispute at the Presidential Election Petition Court, Abuja.
Atiku, a former vice president, in a statement on Saturday in Abuja by his media office, alleged that there are threats from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tinubu’s party, that aim to intimidate the judiciary from ensuring justice in the ongoing presidential electoral dispute.
But Tinubu and the APC have dismissed the allegations.
Atiku, who came second in the 25 February presidential election, is urging the Presidential Election Petition Court to overturn Mr Tinubu’s victory on account of alleged electoral fraud.
Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in their separated suits, are also asking the five-member panel of the court headed by Haruna Tsammani, to nullify the president’s victory at the polls.
They are accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of manipulating the entire electoral process in favour of Mr Tinubu. The petitioners also argued during the court’s hearing that Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were not eligible to vie for the presidency owing to allegations of criminal forfeiture and double nomination against the duo.
However, Messrs Tinubu, Shettima, the APC and INEC, in their defence before the court, contended that there was substantial compliance with the electoral laws in the conduct of the 25 February presidential election.
READ ALSO: Atiku to PEPC: Declare me winner because of 21 states’ results
They urged the court to dismiss the suits against Tinubu.
‘Sinister plot to undermine Nigeria’s judiciary, democracy’
But in a fresh reaction to the court’s proceedings, Atiku said there is a plot to compromise the judiciary’s independence.
In the statement signed by his media aide, Paul Ibe, the PDP candidate described the last general election as the “the worst in the annals of democratic politics in our country,” a position Tinubu has refuted.
Atiku who was Nigeria’s vice president from 1999 to 2007, said INEC’s “arbitrariness” in declaring Mr Tinubu as winner of the election despite not fulfilling the statutory requirements was why he is challenging the outcome.
“But as proceedings on the controversial February 25 election continue at the court, there have been threats from the ruling party that aim to intimidate the judiciary from serving the duty of justice,” the statement said.
He alleged that the APC and Tinubu’s “agents” “have ceaselessly chosen to stand in the way of justice by making catastrophic threats to anarchy if justice is not served according to their whims.”
Last Wednesday, there were social media reports that Tinubu allegedly had a secret telephone conversation with the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, concerning the pending suits against the president.
The reports also alleged that Ariwoola had a clandestine phone conversation with the Director General of Nigeria’s spy agency, the State Security Service (SSS), Yusuf Bichi, with a view to asking the presidential election court to give its judgement in favour of Mr Tinubu.
However, the APC and the Supreme Court management denied the allegations, saying there was “no iota of truth” in the claims.
Atiku cautioned that “Nigeria’s democracy should not be undermined by using the judiciary to serve the interest of the ruling party.”
Referencing the social media reports about Messrs Tinubu and Ariwoola’s alleged phone call, Atiku said, “…reports in the media about some heinous plots to harass justices sitting on the petition are ominous to peace and the security of our nation.”
“To compromise the workings of our democracy and seeking to compromise the workings of our judiciary is an open call for anarchy.”
The former vice president expressed his desire to abide by the law “in resisting any attempt to undermine our fragile democracy.”
Drawing the attention of the international community to the allegations, Atiku recalled how a former CJN, Walter Onnoghen, was unlawfully removed from office in 2019 “when it was obvious that he would not bend to their will.”
In 2019, former President Muhammadu Buhari was re-elected but Atiku challenged the result of the election, which was later upheld by both the presidential election petition and Supreme Court.
Atiku further recalled how armed SSS operatives invaded official residences of judges in 2016 and 2017 “all in a bid to beat the judiciary into submission.”
He lamented that the ruling APC government had earned notoriety in arm-twisting the judiciary.
“The plot of the APC is simple: intimidate the judiciary, threaten judges with arrest so that they will bow to their will. This is a playbook from 2019 when they removed the CJN and then replaced him with Tanko Muhammad, who himself was later accused of corruption by his colleagues at the Supreme Court and resigned shamefully.”
Reacting to the allegations, Mr Tinubu’s spokesperson, Dele Alake, described Atiku’s statement as “laughable.”
Alake said Atiku had “not fully recovered from the shock of defeat, hence the current attempt to mischievously rake up another round of inanities that offend basic logic and rational thinking.”
He said the former vice president failed to provide any evidence to support his claims.
Alake said Atiku “shamelessly resorted to this cheap attempt to intimidate and blackmail the Judiciary even when he is party to a case before the Presidential Election Tribunal.”
Recalling Tinubu’s contributions to the entrenchment of democracy, Alake said the president “was leading the charge against the emasculation of the judiciary and promoting the sanctity of rule of law as the building block for good governance as Governor of Lagos State between 1999-2007, under a PDP central government, Alhaji Atiku was nowhere to be found.”
He added that “no leader with such a sterling and enviable credential as a champion of rule of law, independence of judiciary like President Tinubu will ever contemplate undermining the Judiciary as alleged by Alhaji Atiku.”
According to Alake, Tinubu won the February presidential election in a “free and fair” manner, saying it was the “most transparent election ever conducted in Nigeria since 1999.”
Similarly, the APC described Atiku’s statement as “arrant nonsense” and “lacking in substance.”
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said Tinubu won the election convincingly and it has full faith and confidence in the nation’s courts.
“Our attention has been drawn to a Press Statement by a media aide to Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The statement alleges that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its government are engaged in a plot to intimidate members of the judiciary towards unduly influencing the outcome of pending cases before the court. Atiku Abubakar and his minions offered no evidence to support their wild, hollow, and mischievous allegations.
“Quite frankly, there is nothing in Atiku Abubakar’s statement that is worth a reaction from the APC. It is just arrant nonsense, totally lacking in substance and cogency. Its only imaginable purpose is a childish attempt to float an alibi to deflect the shame of a highly probable defeat in court, having miserably failed to make out a credible case to justify his bogus claim that he won the last Presidential Election.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and our Party won the election convincingly. We have full faith and confidence in our courts to dispense electoral justice in accordance with our Constitution and all applicable laws,” Morka said.
Premium Times
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says the decision by Starlink to unilaterally review its subscription packages upwards did not receive the approval of the commission.
In a statement signed by its Director, Public Affairs, Reuben Mouka said the action of the company is in contravention of Sections 108 and 111 of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003, and Starlink’s Licence Conditions regarding tariffs.
The Commission commenced pre-enforcement action on the licensee on the 3rd of October, 2024.
The Federal Government has announced that it will commence implementation of the $750m World Bank-funded rural electricity project in November.
It said the project will provide over 17.5m Nigerians with new or improved access to electricity through distributed renewable energy solutions.
The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency, Abba Aliyu, disclosed this when he appeared on Channels Television’s Sunrise daily programme on Thursday.
Recall that in December 2023, the World Bank announced the approval of Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up project, being financed by $750m International Development Association credit and would leverage over $1bn of private capital and significant parallel financing from development partners.
The financing from development partners includes $100m from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet and $200m from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Other development partners collaborating on the programme include the United States Agency for International Development, the German Development Agency, SEforAll, and the African Development Bank.
But 10 months after its approval, the REA MD noted that the project would begin implementation next month without stating reasons for the delay.
He explained that three million anticipated beneficiaries would be connected through the isolated mini-grid, 1.5 million Nigerians through the inter-connected mini-grip, and 12 million would be electrified using a merged grid and solar stand-alone system.
Aliyu said, “There is a new project that we are starting next month called the Distributed Renewable Energy Scale-up project which is a $750 million financed by the World Bank.”
“The target of that project is to electrify 17.5 million Nigerians, and I must say that this is one of the most ambitious projects in the world based on my understanding from India that has moved many unelectrified people to have access to electricity.
“Three million of them through the isolated mini-grid, 1.5 million Nigerians through the interconnected mini grip, 12 million would be electrified using a merged grid and solar stand-alone system.”
Aliyu further said the project is estimated to last for five years and was built on successes recorded from similar projects in the past which cost $550 million and were funded by the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order barring the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (otherwise known as VIO) from further stopping vehicles on the road, impounding or confiscating vehicles, and imposing fines on motorists.
Justice Evelyn Maha issued the order in a judgment on a fundamental rights enforcement suit: FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023 filed by a human rights activist and public interest attorney, Abubakar Marshal.
Also affected by the order are the Director of Road Transport; the Area Commander, Jabi, and the Team Leader, Jabi, and the Minister of the FCT, also listed as respondents.
In the judgment delivered on Wednesday, October 2, Justice Maha upheld Marshal’s argument that no law empowers respondents to stop, impound, confiscate, seize, or impose fines on motorists.
The judge declared that the first to the 4th respondents, who are under the control of the 5th respondent (Minister of the FCT) are not empowered by any law or statute to stop, impound, or confiscate the vehicles of motorists and or impose fines on motorists.
She proceeded to issue an order restraining the 1st to 4th respondents either through their agents, servants, and or assigns from impounding, confiscating the vehicle of motorists, and or imposing a fine on any motorist as doing so is wrongful, oppressive, and unlawful by themselves.
Justice Maha further made an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents whether by themselves, agents, privies, allies or anybody acting on behalf of the 1st respondent from further violating the rights of Nigerians to freedom of movement, presumption of innocence and right to own property without lawful justification.
Folashodun Shonubi, a witness in the trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor Godwin Emefiele, told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) yesterday that the naira redesign policy did not follow standard procedure.
Shonubi, a former CBN Acting Governor, said there were intrigues and politics around the 2022 redesign policy.
The former Deputy Governor (Operations) said: “When we had meetings with the defendant (Emefiele), he said there were politics and intrigues around the whole exercise.”
Led in evidence by Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the witness said the redesigned naira notes produced by the CBN under Emefiele were not the same as those approved by ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said the memo presented to the president for the redesign was solely prepared by Emefiele.
Shonubi said the normal procedure was for the Currency Management Department to recommend a redesign, after which a paper would be submitted to the Committee of Governors (COG) for consideration.
Upon the COG’s approval, the CBN Board would make a recommendation to the President.
The witness said after the President’s approval was received, the bank would then set up an internal committee to execute the currency redesign.
Shonubi, a member of both the COG and CBN Board, told the court that Emefiele killed the recommendation made in early 2021 by the bank’s Currency Department for a redesign.
He said: “The CBN did not follow the procedures (for redesigning the currency). I was a member of the CBN Board as Deputy Governor.
“The chairman of both the COG and board was the governor. In early 2021, the Currency Department recommended the redesign of the currency notes.
“A paper was presented to me and on the instruction of the governor (Emefiele). It was stepped down.
“In 2022, we again represented the paper and were asked to hold on.
“In mid-October 2022, the Deputy Governors were invited to a meeting in the office of the Governor where he (Emefiele) informed us that he had presidential approval for currency redesign.
“He showed us the memo, Mr President’s signature and instruction on the last page.”
Shonubi said under cross-examination by ace defence counsel Olalekan Ojo (SAN) that he was not aware of the discussions between the defendant and the former President over the redesign policy.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is trying Emefiele on a four-count charge of illegal acts causing public injury.
He pleaded not guilty.
Justice Maryanne Anenih adjourned till Tuesday.
The Senate yesterday summoned the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, over the deplorable condition of the Old Oyo-Ogbomosho Road.
The resolution of the Senate’s consideration of a motion of urgent public importance was moved by Senator Buhari Abdulfatai (APC – Oyo-North), who drew his colleagues’ attention to the worsening condition of the road.
Abdulfatai said the road, a major link between the South and North, had caused untold hardship for travellers, most of who were frequently stranded due to the poor state of the road.
For over 10 years after the Federal Government began major repairs on the road, Buhari said it had remained deplorable, causing regular accidents and daily gridlock by articulated vehicles.
Buhari in his lead debate underscored the im portance of good roads, saying apart from preventing avoidable accidents, it makes movement of goods and services easy.
He said: “The Senate is aware that transportation ensures stable prices in different markets and enables traders to regulate the supply of goods at locations, based on changing demands.’’
President Bola Tinubu will on Wednesday depart Abuja for the United Kingdom to begin a two-week vacation.
The vacation is “part of his yearly leave,” Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed in a statement he signed Wednesday.
The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu goes on annual leave.’
“He will use the two weeks as a working vacation and a retreat to reflect on his administration’s economic reforms.
“He will return to the country after the leave expires,” the statement read in part.
Sources close to the President had confirmed to our correspondent that Tinubu was taking the two-week break as part of his annual leave.
Wednesday’s trip comes two weeks after the President returned from London where he met with King Charles III.
The UK becomes Tinubu’s 27th foreign destination since he assumed office about 16 months ago and his fourth trip to the country.
So far, he has visited Equatorial Guinea, London (four times), the United Kingdom (twice); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic; Pretoria, South Africa; Accra, Ghana; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal and Doha, Qatar.
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