APC plots to compromise guber poll tribunal – PDP

John Adams, Minna

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by some elements in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to compromise the Governorship Election Tribunal.

The party, in a statement in Minna, the state capital, yesterday, said it was aware of moves by some members of the party, through some retired judicial officers in the state, to “reach” the tribunal members.

PDP Director of Communication, Umar Nasko Governorship Campaign Organisation, Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed Usman, said:  “We know for a fact that Niger State APC has made approaches, through several fronts, including enrolling past judicial officers to link up with the tribunal members.

“While we in the PDP have tremendous confidence in the Judiciary, we have no reason, yet, to suspect that the members have compromised in anyway or form. 

“We have absolute confidence that they will not and they should not because the truth must prevail one day.” 

Usman added that the suspicion of the PDP was further heightened by the persistent claims by some leaders of the APC, who have continued to boast that “nothing will come out of the tribunal; we have the power and will do as we want.”

He said the PDP “will continue to build a watertight case that will ensure that our stolen mandate is recovered and given back to the rightful owners.

“We are very much aware of all the electoral malpractices and electoral frauds perpetrated during the sham governorship election.

“At the commencement of sitting, all the facts will be tendered before their lordships,” Usman added.

Regardless, APC dismissed the claim  and describing it as the “ figment of the imagination of a drowning party.

Media and Publicity coordinator to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, Mr Jide Orintunsin, said the PDP is known “ for fake news and propaganda; we will not join them in the illegal act, it is false alarm,” he said.

Orintunsin, however, said that the APC and, in particular, governor Bello “has no reason to try to compromise the tribunal because we won the election clean and clear.

“It was a clear mandate freely given to the governor and other APC members elected by the people.”

The governorship election tribunal, after its first sitting, during which it directed substituted service on the governor, adjourned sitting to May 6.

The three-man tribunal has Justice Halilu Yussuf as chairman.