The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has categorically denied reports alleging that President Bola Tinubu had a telephone conversation with the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, regarding the possible outcome of his case at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
‘We have become aware of a decidedly mischievous and intentionally misleading tweet by one Mr Jackson Ude. He alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in a telephone conversation with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, in which the CJN purportedly told the President and APC to prepare for a presidential election rerun,’ party spokesperson, Felix Morka stated on Tuesday.
The spokesperson disapproved of Mr. Ude’s action of spreading a fabricated falsehood concerning a matter of serious national significance, presently being reviewed by the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC), citing it as deeply disturbing and disgraceful.
Read also: Supreme Court Breaks Silence On CJN Meeting With Tinubu
The statement partly reads; ‘President Tinubu and our Party won the last Presidential election without a doubt, and do not have any need to engage in side conversations with the CJN regarding pending petitions before the PEPC. As the core democrat that he is, the President respects the right of aggrieved Candidates in the election to seek redress for any grievances that they may have. The Constitution and Electoral Act provide effective guarantees of that right.’
‘The PEPC should be afforded the time and space to perform its important constitutional and statutory duty of adjudicating and delivering a verdict in the matter without needlessly calling the integrity of our Judges into question.’
‘Falsehood and conjecture by the likes of Mr. Ude only aim to inflame political passions, create doubt and panic, and preemptively undermine the verdict of the Courts in this important matter.’
‘We are confident that Nigerians are smarter and more discerning than to be affected by this opposition brand of tasteless and crass mercenary expedition.’
During the election period, there was much uproar over the reports suggesting that the Chief Justice went incognito as an old man to secretly meet with President Tinubu in the UK.
Since then, the public has become sceptical about any potential outcome from the presidential tribunal, as it is perceived to be tainted with bias due to the alleged influence of Tinubu buying favouritism.