Ahead of the expected election tribunal judgment on the governorship election in Plateau State, the state chapter of All Progressive Congress (APC) has cautioned the state government to desist from gagging and blackmailing judges of the election petition tribunal.
The opposition party in a press conference at the APC Secretariat in Jos said the PDP-led administration is jittery over the expected judgment and has embarked on undemocratic means to hoodwink the judges of the tribunal.
The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Sylvanus Namang, said: “The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Plateau State Chapter has been drawn to some reckless press statements by the Plateau State Chapter of the PDP and obviously state-sponsored protests aimed at distracting and diverting attention by whipping up ill-motivated sentiments against judges of the Election Petitions Tribunal in the State.
“That these are coming in the wake of the fair, firm and just pronouncements of the first tribunal, which declared some APC and LP National Assembly candidates victorious, smacks of sheer mischief and blackmail.
“Nothing can be more divisive than its recent allegation that these respected and peace-loving leaders of our great party are interfering with the activities of the high-heeled tribunals even when the opposite is the case. This amounts to crying wolf where there is none.”
The party noted: It is important to state that before the Justice B. M. Tukur-led tribunals’ meticulous, fair and just pronouncements, there were previous judgments by the second tribunal presided over by Justice Rotimi Williams who ruled against the APC and Labour Party despite the evidence and position of the law.
“Interestingly, in our usual propensity for respect of court orders and judicial decisions, though dissatisfied with the judgments, we accepted them in good faith without raising any dust, but preferring instead, to appeal such judgments at the Appeal Tribunal as constitutionally stipulated.
“We, however, found it undemocratic of the PDP-led government in the state, as a pre-emptive move and organised mischief is involved in mobilising hoodlums to harass and intimidate tribunal judges ahead of the remaining judgments”
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The state APC further alleged that the state government had even gone further to begin mobilisation of their supporters to assemble at the premises of the Jos High Court on the day the governorship election petition would be disposed of. ‘These are rather a design by a pack of anti-democratic forces hired to truncate our democracy.
“Nothing can be more threatening to democracy than when political parties and governments which are supposed to be guardians of democratic norms embark on sponsoring ill-motivated protests against judicial decisions and judgments.
While calling on the tribunal judges to remain resilient, focused and committed to their responsibility of dispensing law and justice, the opposition party assures them that nothing untoward would emanate from law-abiding members of the APC in the state and well-meaning Plateau citizens.