•PDP calls for investigation
From Godwin Tsa and Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Supreme Court has said the fire incident that occurred in the early hours of yesterday would not affect the presidential election petitions filed by the candidates of the peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi.
Director of Press and Information, Dr. Festus Akande made the clarification during an interview on Arise TV on Monday.
A portion of the Supreme Court was on Monday engulfed by fire affecting about three offices, including that of Justice Ibrahim Saulawa.
The incident, according to court officials, was caused by an electrical fault.
But speaking on the TV programme, Akande, stated that the fire outbreak won’t affect anything in the court.
He said: “As a matter of fact, there’s no single connection, and it won’t affect anything in the court.
“This incident occurred in a chamber equipped with a computer and other equipment, as well as a functional library used by any justice occupying such a chamber. The only thing that was affected were the books and computer equipment in the chamber. Even the books are replaceable.
“Also, it has nothing to do with it because it was from an electrical fault, which could happen anywhere, and there are things that happen daily.”
Reacting, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said that the fire incident was suspicious and called for a probe.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the fire incident is worrisome. The party called for an investigation into the incident so as to unravel the causes.
According to the opposition party, this is especially against the backdrop of heightened public apprehension of possible arsonist attack allegedly to frustrate the Supreme Court “from effectively discharging its constitutional duties especially with regard to high profile electoral cases, including the Presidential Election Appeals pending before it.
“Our Party demands for an immediate full-scale investigation into the fire outbreak with the view to unraveling the circumstances or possible sabotage in the incident.
“The PDP insists that the outcome of the investigation should be made public unlike those of previous fire incidents in various government Ministries, Departments and Agencies which were characteristically swept under the carpet by the All Progressives Congress (APC) administrations.
“While calling on the Federal Government to beef up security around the Supreme Court, the PDP also demands that Nigerians must be assured of the safety of sensitive documents and equipment at the Court especially at this critical time.”