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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of using election petitions tribunals to snatch its victories in the 2023 general elections.
The Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, who stated this, yesterday, at a press briefing, alleged that it was part of the plot by the APC to emasculate the opposition and foist a one-party state on the country.
Damagum alleged election petition tribunals and appeal courts were used “to rob the PDP of victory won at the polls” in Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Delta, and Ogun among other states.
He described as worrisome the fact that the widespread demands by the people of Plateau State and the PDP for the immediate disbandment of the Plateau State election appeal panel for allegedly giving contradictory judgements have been ignored by the relevant authorities.
According to him, the Plateau State Election Appeal Court allegedly “delivered varying, contradictory and conflicting judgments on election appeals with the same subject matter, same facts, same circumstances and same applicable laws against the PDP in favour of the APC.
“The Plateau State Election Appeal Court Panel ordered a rerun where the PDP won and the APC came third, while where the APC came second, it ordered that the certificate of return issued to the victorious PDP candidate be withdrawn and a new certificate of return issued to the defeated APC candidate, who came second in the election.
“Of course, the judgments immediately heightened apprehension in the state, being a recipe for anarchy and chaos in an already tensed Plateau State.
“This is especially as our party duly conducted our primary elections in Plateau State in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 and which was appropriately monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
You will recall that on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, our party addressed a press conference in which we alerted Nigerians of the dangerous pattern of conflicting judicial pronouncements by the Plateau State Election Appeal Court Panel to decimate and alter the express will of the people of Plateau State in the 2023 National Assembly Elections.
“To this effect, I, as the acting National Chairman of the PDP, addressed a petition to the President of the Court of Appeal, wherein I officially restated the findings and demands of the PDP against the Plateau State Election Appeal Court Panel.
“It is, however, curious and disturbing that up till this moment, none of the issues or demands made by the PDP has been addressed or met.
“The continuing stay of the Appeal Panel is clearly pitching the people against the court and the institution of the judiciary. It is vexatious, inciting and amounts to snubbing an affronted and injured people and daring them to do their worse.
“The PDP, therefore, again calls on the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the President of the Court of Appeal to save the situation by immediately insulating the courts from the alleged influence of the anti-people cabal seeking to emasculate the judiciary and impose a totalitarian regime our country.”
